Reggie Wayne has been absent from Colts with “personal issue”

Rosenthal mentioned in his preview of Friday night’s preseason games that the Colts, already without their most important player in Peyton Manning, could be without receiver Reggie Wayne against the Redskins.

They were.

After the game, coach Jim Caldwell told reporters (via comments distributed by the team) that “Reggie was out of town on a personal issue, he’ll be back.”

But when will he be back?  Mike Chappell of the Indianapolis Star pointed out on Wednesday that Wayne was gone, due to a personal issue.
The nature of the personal issue is unclear.  It’s impossible to rule out that Wayne is merely unhappy with his personal income.

Before training camp opened, Wayne continued his pitch for a new contract, but he said he wouldn’t hold out.  “I’m a Colt. What else I’m gonna be?” Wayne told the Star. “I’m going to go to work. That’s what I do.”

Last year, Wayne skipped a mandatory minicamp due to his desire for a new deal.  He then hinted he’d hold out from training camp, but he ultimately showed up.

The Colts usually don’t share chapter-and-verse detail regarding potential distractions and/or disappointments.  So it’s hard to tell at this point whether Wayne’s “personal issue” has any link to his ongoing desire to get a new contract.

Wayne, 32, is due to earn a base salary of $5.95 million in 2011.

UPDATE:  Philip Wilson of the Star reported via Twitter last night as to Wayne, “I heard he’s a new dad.”  Why wouldn’t the team just say that instead?



(profootballtalk.com)