A grieving Indianapolis Colts legend Reggie Wayne broke down in tears Wednesday as he discussed the recent pᴀssing of team owner Jim Irsay.
‘I told the receivers, a lot of y’all don’t really know him but he would’ve done anything for anybody,’ Wayne said told reporters. ‘He would’ve gave the clothes off his back… I said, y’all got to push your ᴀsses for him. He would’ve done that for y’all. So, that’s what I told them. I said, ”Y’all got homework to do, man. Read about him. Learn about him.”
Now the team’s receivers coach, the 46-year-old Wayne remembered Irsay for his humanity by sharing a story about his own brief foray into free agency in 2012.
Coming off a 2-14 season, Wayne expected to sign elsewhere and was already lining up trips to visit the Chicago Bears and Kansas City Chiefs.
That’s when he got a phone call.
”No, you’re not taking that trip,” Irsay told Wayne, as the former Super Bowl champion recalled with reporters on Wednesday.
A grieving Colts legend Reggie Wayne broke down in tears Wednesday as he discussed the recent pᴀssing of team owner Jim Irsay, as seen in the clip from Locked On Colts
Irsay had become less visible in recent years following a fall at his home in December 2023
Now the team’s receivers coach, the 46-year-old Wayne remembered Irsay for his humanity by sharing a story about his own brief foray into free agency in 2012
What followed was Irsay’s pᴀssionate plea for Wayne to stay in Indianapolis, where he became one of the league’s best receivers alongside Peyton Manning, Marvin Harrison and Edgerrin James.
Ultimately Wayne stuck around on a three-year, $17 million deal.
‘You could’ve asked for $30 million,’ Wayne remembered Irsay telling him. ‘I would’ve gave it to you.”
Irsay would later add Wayne to the Colts’ ring of honor.
The 65-year-old billionaire pᴀssed away last week after months of health issues and years of battling drug and alcohol addiction. No other details about his death have been released.
He was in charge when the Colts won the Super Bowl against the Chicago Bears with Manning at quarterback in 2007 and oversaw the construction of their Lucas Oil Stadium.
Ring of Honor members, Peyton Manning, Edgerrin James, Bill Brooks, Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne, Bill Polian, Owner Jim Irsay and Jeff Saturday pose for a picture on November 18, 2018
In a devastating Instagram post, Manning said he was ‘heartbroken’ by the tragic news
In a devastating Instagram post, Wayne’s long-time teammate wrote: ‘I am heartbroken to hear about Jim Irsay’s pᴀssing.
‘He was an incredibly generous and pᴀssionate owner and I will always be indebted to him for giving me my start in the NFL,’ Manning continued. ‘His love for the Colts and the city of Indy was unmatched. His impact on the players who played for him will not be forgotten.
‘My thoughts and prayers are with his family and everyone in the Colts community. He will be missed. Jim, rest in peace my friend, #18.’
The Irsay family fortune comes from their heating and cooling (HVAC) empire, not to mention the Colts, a team Jim’s late father bought in Baltimore in 1972 before famously moving the franchise to Indianapolis nine years later.
According to The Athletic, the oldest of Irsay’s three daughters, Carlie Irsay-Gordon, is expected to ᴀssume principal ownership duties of the Colts. However, it’s reported that Irsay preferred all three of his daughters, Carlie, Casey Foyt and Kalen Jackson, would work together as co-owners.
