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COLTS

Insider: Colts had to tell Reggie Wayne 'No'

Stephen Holder
Reggie Wayne has played his last game as an Indianapolis Colt.

Just as they did three years ago with Peyton Manning, the 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 said in a statement today they will not re-sign the impending free-agent wide receiver, who is the franchise leader in regular-season games played (211). He will officially become a free agent at 4 p.m. Tuesday. 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 -- albeit a difficult one.

Wayne's performance had declined, and the team is moving on. Like with the Manning situation, it is another calculated, emotionless decision. It is, at its core, a football decision.

Wayne, by expressing a desire to return, put the ball in the team's court. It then made a difficult decision that people at Colts headquarters had been bracing for in recent weeks.

The Colts had to tell Wayne "No."

"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 (Pagano) 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 had one of his best games in leading the Colts back from an 18-point deficit to a 30-27 victory over Green Bay in 2012 in the first game after Pagano announced he had cancer. Wayne finished with 13 catches for 212 yards and the game-winning touchdown.

He 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.

"My relationship with Reggie goes back to my coaching days at the University of Miami," Pagano said in a statement. "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."

Irsay added: "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."

Irsay's reference to Wayne having the opportunity to play elsewhere is of particular note, but Wayne's plans aren't known. Neither he nor his agent responded to efforts to reach them.

Whatever his future entails, Wayne's exploits in Indianapolis will remain unforgettable.

In his 14 seasons (2001-2014), he was selected by the team with the 30th pick in the 2001 NFL Draft -- after then-team president Bill Polian traded down eight spots.

Who could have known what the pick would yield?

Wayne went to six Pro Bowls (2006-2010, 2012) and was named Associated Press 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 would set the Colts' single-game record for receptions (15) in 2010 and the third-most receiving yards (212) in a regular season 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 on that rainy night in Miami. Dating back to his rookie season in 2001, Wayne leads active NFL players in receptions and receiving yards and ranks sixth in receiving touchdowns.

And now, diminished as he might have been, Wayne must be replaced.

The Colts will 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 recent Canadian signee Duron Carter, who has never played in the NFL.

Among the players to watch, coincidentally, is Houston Texans veteran Andre Johnson, who could be released in the coming days. Johnson is a former University of Miami teammate of Wayne's and has been a longtime adversary of the Colts in the AFC South.

Back in Indianapolis, the Wayne news hit some teammates harder than others. Hilton, who has developed a big brother-little brother relationship with Wayne, shared his sentiments on Twitter.

"Words can't explain how I'm feeling," he wrote. "You taught me so much. You took me under your wing and showed me the way. I have a ton of RESPECT."

Follow Star reporter Stephen Holder on Twitter: @HolderStephen.