Colts Great Reggie Wayne to Receive Key to City

It turns out that former Indianapolis Colts beloved wideout Reggie Wayne will return to Indianapolis this summer after all. According to Zak Keefer of the Indianapolis Star, Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard will present Wayne with a key to the city on July 17th:

"“Indiana Black Expo announced Tuesday that Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard will present Wayne with the key during Indiana University’s Pacers Sports and Entertainment luncheon on July 17,” writes Keefer."

One of the Colts all-time greats at wideout, Wayne finished his 14-year career with the Colts with 14,343 receiving yards and 82 touchdowns on 1,070 receptions. He was highly regarded both on and off the field, as a veteran leader in addition to his special ability to make both consistent and clutch catches.

Jan 11, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Reggie Wayne (87) celebrates as he leaves the field following the game against the Denver Broncos in the 2014 AFC Divisional playoff football game at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. The Colts defeated the Broncos 24-13. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

While Wayne hasn’t officially retired, his playing career is murky at best. The 36-year old wideout is currently a free agent and hasn’t drawn much interest from other suitors after being let go by the Colts earlier this offseason. He’s coming off an injury plagued season, in which he failed to show much separation or explosiveness and struggled with uncharacteristic drops. However, Wayne had indicated that he would’ve liked to have played one more season.

Regardless of whether he decides to continue his playing career, July 17th should be a special day for one of the Colts all-time greats in Wayne. It’s a highly deserved honor for the former 2001 first round pick out of Miami (Fla.), as Wayne had a highly decorated NFL career playing for the Colts. In a lot of ways, he was the star player who helped bridge the gap between the “Peyton Manning and Andrew Luck Eras” of Colts football.

The city of Indianapolis and its fans will always be grateful for his terrific play as a member of the Colts, as he was a special player who truly embodied the horseshoe both on and off the field. Some guys simply wear the horseshoe, yet other guys truly wear it and bleed blue both on the inside and out. Wayne was one of those rare and special players, and he’s set to receive a special honor because of it.

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