Reggie Wayne says his return to Colts shouldn’t have been a surprise

Many were surprised by the decision of receiver Reggie Wayne to sign a new three-year deal with the Colts, the team with which Wayne spent 11 prior seasons.  Wayne doesn’t get it.

“Why would they be surprised?” Wayne said Thursday in comments distributed by the team.  “This is where I’ve always played at.  What’s the surprising part?”

Well, where do we start?

First, he had been trying to get a new deal for the last couple years.  At one point, he held out of an offseason mandatory minicamp to illustrate his displeasure.

Second, there had been no effort to keep him until very recently.

Third, the team is in full-blown blow-it-up-and-start-over mode, bidding farewell to multiple big-name players.

Fourth, Wayne sounded like he wanted to get back together with Peyton Manning, preferably with the Dolphins.

“It’d be great, it’d be fun,” Wayne told Michael Irvin of WQAM in Miami.  “Exciting.  Now you got me visualizing it.  I see the visual, it is there.  I see it.  It would be great.  It would definitely be a fun time, and an outstanding journey in South Florida.”

It won’t be happening.  Wayne has recommitted to the Colts.

“Colt for life,” Wayne said Wednesday.  “I’m going to get that tattoo put on my back. . . .  I’m here in the 317, which is Indianapolis and I’m here for the rest of my career.  Let’s go ahead and win while we can.”

That last statement implies that the team has been winning.  Last year, it wasn’t.  Next year, it will be just as challenging.  If Wayne is lucky, the Colts will become competitive again just in time for him to retire.


(nbcsports.com)