Bill Polian on Reggie Wayne: 'It's a sad day'

If only Reggie Wayne could have gone out with the horseshoe on.

Those were the words Bill Polian -- the man responsible for bringing Wayne to the Indianapolis Colts in 2001 -- kept repeating as he spoke Friday about the team's decision to release the wide receiver.

He said it again.

"You would have liked to see him go out with the horseshoe on," said Polian in a phone interview. "For Colts fans and Hoosiers, this is a sad day."

Polian, who was the Colts vice chairman from 1998 to 2011, was widely criticized when he drafted Wayne 14 years ago.

The team's offense was just fine, people said. It had Peyton Manning, Marvin Harrison and Edgerrin James. What it needed was to beef up its defense.

But Polian couldn't land the defensive tackle he wanted in that draft. Four went before the Colts' selection, so Polian traded down and grabbed Wayne at No. 30.

Critics quickly faded as Wayne proved himself to the team, the league and the fans of Indianapolis.

"It was an honor to be a part of the team that he was on. He had a lot to to with the success we had, a lot to do with that,' Polian said. "He's a great person, a great player, a great man."

And then Polian said it again.

"It's sad to see Reggie not finish his career as a Colt " he said. "But I guess that's the way the business is these days."

Did the Colts make the wrong move for the team?

"I have no opinion on that," Polian said. "Because I don't have access to the roster, the financial (situation) of the team."

He does know one thing.

"You're losing an all-time Colt," Polian said.

He hasn't talked to Wayne about what happened Friday, but the last time he did talk to him, Wayne was debating on what his future might be.

"I'm certain he has already cemented his legacy as a full-time Colt," Polian said. "The fact that he was released, it's kind of a bittersweet day. But what Reggie has done with the Colts, we will never forget."

Follow Dana Benbow on Twitter: @DanaBenbow.