Austin Seferian-Jenkins

“I had to go to jail, which was probably the most humbling thing I've ever had to deal with in my life.”

“Quite frankly, I just want to be playing at the highest level of football. That's the most important thing to me.”

“When you lose things like football, which is the game I love - and this is the most important thing in my life - it really puts everything in perspective.”

“Someone has to be the villain. I'm the most villainized player right now. People don't like me.”

“I'm Austin Seferian-Jenkins. He's Tony Gonzalez. He's the best tight end to ever play the game. So that's a real strong comparison. I'm just going to do my job and leave the comparisons up to the coaches and the media.”

“People in Seattle and Tacoma know who I am as a person, and I don't think I am a character risk or have a character issue at all.”

“Once you get into the NFL, it doesn't matter what draft pick you are, what round you are, if you're undrafted or not. It's football time again. The draft, all of that doesn't matter anymore.”

“The idea that I can provide for my mother and play at the highest level in the world for football and compete against the best guys in the world - it's a very exciting idea.”

“I'm a normal person. You say something about me, I'm going to say something back, funny or not. I'm just going to be me. It's nothing against them. I'm just doing what you do to me.”

“I really have a love and passion for football. I enjoy basketball, but it's not something I love. You have to let things go that are not for you.”

“I love my coaches. Coaches love me.”

“I love donating my time and serving other people. Just seeing the faces of people in need light up when they see you... There is no way I can put it into words. You feel like you did something right.”

“When I get out on the field, it's all about football. I love football.”

“I think guys that play basketball really understand how to go up and get a ball. Because in a rebound situation, you've got to go up and fight for a ball. Just boxing out. There are a lot of things that transfer.”

“I need to take care of my mom and making sure she's financially OK. She's done so much for me, it's the least thing I can do.”

“Ever since I was growing up, I knew I was going to play in the NFL. I never thought anything else.”

“I think people make a really big deal that I'm this big character-issue guy, and I've got red flags. I'm not.”

“I'm who I am. I'm confident. I think it's weird if you're not confident.”

“I want to be great at everything. I want to be the best at everything.”

“There's a lot of people in this world, and it's important to learn about them.”