National Football League

Report: Edwards tried to get out of DWI

Published Sep. 22, 2010 1:00 a.m. ET

foxsports

New York Jets wide receiver Braylon Edwards practiced with teammates Wednesday, one day after his DWI arrest early Tuesday morning, the New York Post reported.

"I would like to apologize to my family, my fans, [Jets owner] Mr. Johnson, [general manager] Mike Tannenbaum, [head coach] Rex Ryan and my teammates. I will respect the process that is in place and will fully cooperate with the league," Edwards said in a statement.

The Jets announced on Tuesday that Edwards will play Sunday night against the Dolphins at Miami, but will not start.

Ryan, speaking after practice Wednesday, would not say how much of the game Edwards would miss, and that the punishment of not starting was significant to any competitor.

Earlier Wednesday, the Post reported that Edwards tried to talk his way out of the DWI arrest after admitting to police officers that he had been drinking during the night.

"We were coming from a party. How about I just leave the car and take a cab and go home?" Edwards told officers during the 5:15am traffic stop at 12th Avenue and West 34th Street in Manhattan, prosecutors said.

Edwards was cruising through Midtown — allegedly at double the legal alcohol limit — with two teammates, his girlfriend and a pal, and got testy with cops for pulling him over because of overly tinted windows on his Range Rover, sources said.

"Why was I stopped for having tints if my driving didn't lead you to believe I was drunk?" Edwards asked, according to prosecutors.

He also questioned why he was not given a field sobriety test, curiously noting, "They do it in Michigan ... All right, I'll take it."

Police said Edwards — who told cops, "I had a couple of drinks" — had bloodshot, watery eyes and reeked of booze.

Sources said he blew 0.156 during a Breathalyzer test at the scene and .164 later on a machine at Manhattan's Seventh Precinct station house. The state's legal limit is 0.08.

Edwards, who is making $6.1 million this season, was arraigned and released without bail after being charged with driving while intoxicated and driving while impaired, both misdemeanors.

"There will be plenty of time to talk," Edwards said as he left court Tuesday. "I'll address everybody."