In the history of the NFL, a few lucky teams have had two future Hall of Fame receivers on the field at the same time. Usually, it's a case of two ships passing in the night. One player is on the rise while the other is in decline. That’s how it was on the Raiders in the late 1980s when James Lofton was trending down just as Tim Brown was introducing himself to the league.
Or Washington in the mid-1960s. Bobby Mitchell was approaching the end as Charley Taylor was ascending. Nearing the turn of the millennium, San Francisco got several prime seasons out of both an aging Jerry Rice and a young Terrell Owens. But the benchmark for receiving tandems came in the 1970s, when John Stallworth and Lynn Swann were helping the Pittsburgh Steelers become a dynasty.
They entered the league together in 1974 and quickly became dominant. Swann retired early, after just nine seasons. Stallworth lasted 14. Both were subsequently inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
And that famous duo brings us to Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Reggie Wayne, arguably the most underrated wide receiver in the history of the NFL, whose true value continues to go unrecognized more than a decade after he called it a career.
Indianapolis Colts' Reggie Wayne’s numbers speak for themselves
Wayne does not need me to make his case to Hall of Fame voters. But I’m going to do it anyway. Sports Illustrated’s Matt Verderame recently projected the next five HOF classes, and he left Wayne off the list. Obviously, a good deal of this is subjective, but let’s start with this quick reality check.
Combined, John Stallworth and Lynn Swann played in 281 NFL games. They caught 837 passes for 14,183 yards.
Reggie Wayne, in 14 seasons for Indianapolis, played in 70 fewer games yet caught more balls (1,070) and gained more yards receiving (14,345) than Pittsburgh’s two Hall of Famers combined!
OK, there is a clear historical explanation for that. Teams simply did not throw the ball at the same rate in the 1970s as they would in the 21st century. I certainly do not mean to knock those Steeler receivers, because they were extraordinary. But come on. Wayne outperformed both by himself. Surely that is worthy of some HOF love.
I wanted to focus on the HOF teammates because for the first half of his career, Reggie Wayne lined up opposite one of the greatest receivers to ever wear a pair of cleats. For much of his career, Wayne was in the shadow of Marvin Harrison. That probably depressed his numbers somewhat in the early days. Playing alongside other potent offensive weapons like Edgerrin James and Dallas Clark, no doubt had a similar effect.
But that’s not worth complaining about. Wayne also had the great good fortune of catching passes from Peyton Manning, among the most prolific passers of all time. After Manning departed, he had Andrew Luck. Not many receivers were blessed with QBs like that.
Still, Wayne’s numbers are staggering. He is currently tenth all-time in yardage despite playing behind the number nine all-time guy for the first half of his career. He is also tenth all-time in receptions. Six other receivers are in the top ten in those two categories.
The only one not in the Hall of Fame besides Wayne is Larry Fitzgerald, who is not yet eligible for induction. He is a virtual lock to get in on his first ballot next year.
Go a little deeper into those numbers. When he emerged from Harrison’s shadow, Wayne made the Pro Bowl in six out of seven seasons. He missed in 2011, when Manning was out, though he still posted numbers that would be the envy of many receivers.
Playing with Harrison had its pluses and minuses. Harrison certainly drew attention, which freed up Wayne early on. But it also caused him to be overlooked. He missed the Pro Bowl and All-Pro recognition in 2004 despite having a spectacular year. He had more total yards, more touchdowns, and a higher yards-per-catch that year than AFC Pro Bowlers Andre Johnson and Hines Ward.
The comparison to Andre Johnson is informative. Their careers were virtually identical. Their yards-per-catch were, in fact, identical. Wayne played more games, so his slight advantages in receptions and total yards may not mean much. But he had a significant advantage in touchdown catches, one of the hallmarks of all great receivers. He also won a Super Bowl. Johnson, through no fault of his own, never made it that far.
Reggie Wayne may not have been a better receiver than Andre Johnson, but there is a hair’s breadth between them a best. Johnson is in the HOF. Wayne is not.
For those who say he was simply the beneficiary of playing with great teammates, just look at what Reggie Wayne did after Marvin Harrison retired. He picked up the mantle of one of the best to ever play and did not lag in the slightest. Manning's numbers just kept going up with Reggie Wayne as his WR1.
There is a lot more to a Hall of Fame career than mere numbers, and that may be where the national media undervalues Wayne the most. He made countless big plays at key moments. He scored the first touchdown that should have tied the Super Bowl against Chicago in 2007.
He especially killed the Broncos, scoring three touchdowns in two different playoff victories before his memorable 10-catch, three-touchdown games against Denver in 2006.
Wayne was always praised for his precision route running and exceptional hands. What was your favorite catch? The one-handed sideline grab against Philly? The spinning one-hander against Houston? Or the diving one-handed catch against the Packers? Yep – Reggie Wayne made so many sensational one-handed grabs that you have to find ways to separate them.
He showed his excellent concentration early on. His first touchdown catch – week 3, 2002 against Houston – he snagged a late deflection and walked into the end zone. And he basically never stopped doing that for 13 more seasons.
Above all, teammates, as well as the fans lucky enough to interact with him, always praised his character, his work ethic, and the respect he showed his opponents and the game itself. Reggie Wayne was a beloved figure in Indianapolis.
The SI article has Fitzgerald, Torry Holt, and Julio Jones getting into Canton before Wayne. It also has Otis Taylor going in via the Veterans Committee. I have no problem with any of those players. All were worthy. But aside from Fitzgerald, none were clearly better than Reggie Wayne. They can all go in, but let them be the ones to wait an extra season or two. Reggie Wayne has waited long enough.