Reggie Wayne Feeling Young and Healthy

ANDERSON, Ind. — Veteran wide receiver Reggie Wayne came out of the chute firing and catching Monday as the Indianapolis Colts went to work at Anderson University.

Wayne turned an interview with the media into a series of sound bites on a cornucopia of topics.

Apparently he is feeling very healthy.

“I feel good,” he said. “I haven’t felt this good in years. I felt so good, I cut all of my facial hair off. I feel young. I feel like the old 2001-02 Reggie. So hopefully we can get a glimpse of those fresh legs and make some plays.”

With all of the bumps and bruises the team suffered at wide receiver a year ago, any news of healthy bodies at that position is indeed encouraging.

Peyton Manning’s absence isn’t troubling Wayne at all. He is far from distraught that right now Curtis Painter has the No. 1 job.

“This is business as usual,” Wayne said. “Don’t try to blow this up the wrong way. I’m kind of eager to get in there with Curtis. I’m a Curtis Painter fan. He has been taking some hard hits from the media and from spectators the last few years. But, I’m a big fan of his and am kind of eager to get out there and get some reps with him. Hopefully we can make each other be good.”

It appeared to work that way in the afternoon practice. Painter put a ball out there that appeared it would be just beyond Wayne’s reach. But Wayne got a couple of fingertips on the aerial, pulled it in and scampered downfield. It drew the loudest applause of the practice session.

Make no mistake about it, Wayne is still anxious to get Manning back. He has no doubts that whenever Manning returns, he will pick right up where he left off.

“Hopefully it’s like riding a bike,” Wayne said. “I taught my son how to ride a bike years ago. If I put him on a bike right now hopefully he will still know how to ride it. I’ve been here for 11 years so hopefully what me and Peyton have done in 11 years will be like clockwork. The sooner we can get him out here, the closer we are to finding out, but until then it’s me and Painter.”

All of the player movement since the collective bargaining agreement has also been a source of interest to Wayne.

“I’ll tell you what, it’s going to be a real interesting look for (video game) Madden,” he said. “It’s kind of weird just sitting back, looking at TV and seeing different guys end up in different places so rapidly. I guess it’s been fun because I had no dealings in it. I’m kind of like you guys sitting back being a spectator and just keeping my own two cents to myself.”

Still, the end goal is to end up back at Lucas Oil Stadium for the Super Bowl.

 “Yeah, we’ve got a chance to do something that’s never been done before (playing in that game in a team’s hometown),” he said. “But at the same time we will keep our same focus and that is take care of our division.”

That focus started Monday.

Click here to order Reggie Wayne’s proCane Rookie Card.


(heraldbulletin.com)