Colts announce WR Reggie Wayne will not return
INDIANAPOLIS — Just as they did three years ago with Peyton Manning, the Indianapolis Colts have turned the page on one of the franchise's greatest players.
Reggie Wayne is a Colt no more.
And the decision was not his to make.
The Colts decided not to re-sign the impending free agent wide receiver who is the franchise leader in regular-season games played (211). Fourteen seasons and the shedding of blood and tears would not prove enough to deter owner Jim Irsay and general manager Ryan Grigson from making what is purely a business move.
Wayne's performance had declined, and the team is moving on. Like with the Manning situation, it was another calculated, emotionless decision. It was, at its core, a football decision.
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"Everyone knows the greatness and history associated with number 87," Grigson said in a statement released by the team. "He truly is one of a small handful of players who really define the Colts as an organization. He was already a Hall of Famer in the making when Chuck and I arrived in Indianapolis in 2012, but no one has contributed more, on the field and in this building, to our turnaround, our continued growth, and our overall success since then.
"Reggie was the catalyst that sparked and ignited the team during our comeback against Green Bay in 2012. His gritty performance that day and that entire challenging season infused us all with the belief we could overcome any obstacle. His dedication and the example he set are second to none. We wish him nothing but the best in whatever new endeavor he pursues."
Wayne ranks second in franchise history in receptions (1,070), receiving yards (14,345), receiving touchdowns (80), 100-yard games (43) and consecutive games with a reception (134). He ranks seventh in NFL history in career receptions and eighth in receiving yards.
Said coach Chuck Pagano: "My relationship with Reggie goes back to my coaching days at the University of Miami. He is the epitome of what a coach looks for in a player. Hard work, dedication, and sacrifice are just a few ways I would describe him. He encompasses everything that is right about this game, on and off the field. I am so grateful I had the chance to coach Reggie again when I arrived in 2012. It was a blessing to see the impact that he made with this organization and Colts fans around the world. I wish him all the best in the future and thank him for representing the horseshoe in the most professional manner."
Said Irsay: "Reggie is one of the greatest men to ever wear the horseshoe, and we have been blessed to watch him play for the past 14 years. When he first took the field with us in 2001, we knew this day would eventually arrive. That reality is one of the things that makes pro football such a tough business. We feel this decision is in the best interests of the team and for Reggie as it will allow him to seek a better opportunity for playing time elsewhere if he so chooses. Reggie is beloved by the Colts organization and our fans and he will always be a part of the Colts family. I look forward to the day in the near future when our great number 87 enters the Colts Ring of Honor and the Pro Football Hall of Fame."
Wayne spent 14 seasons (2001-2014) with the Colts after being selected by the team with the 30th pick in the 2001 NFL draft. He was selected to six Pro Bowls (2006-2010, 2012) and was named first-team all-pro in 2010. He tied franchise records with his eight 1,000-yard receiving seasons and four 100-catch seasons. In the postseason, Wayne ranks second in NFL history in career receptions (93), fourth in receiving yards (1,254), and tied for seventh in receiving touchdowns (nine).
Wayne set the Colts single-game record for receptions (15) in 2010 and posted the third-most receiving yards (212) in a game in 2012. He was a crucial part of the team's Super Bowl XLI victory over the Chicago Bears, catching a 53-yard touchdown pass to open the Colts' scoring. Dating back to his rookie season in 2001, Wayne leads all NFL players in receptions and receiving yards and ranks sixth in receiving touchdowns.
The Colts will now look to beef up their receiving corps with a unit that is dominated by youth. Fourth-year player T.Y. Hilton is the veteran of the group, joined by other youngsters including second-year player Donte Moncrief and Canadian signee Duron Carter, who has never played in the NFL.
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Holder writes for The Indianapolis Star
