In the long history of the Indianapolis Colts franchise, no player has been on the field for more wins than six-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Reggie Wayne, whose 143 wins are two more than Peyton Manning accumulated during his time in Indy. This not only gives Wayne a unique set of bragging rights among all Colts franchise legends, but given his status as the wide receivers coach in Indianapolis, it also means that he has a perspective on sustained excellence that every player on the Colts roster should be flocking toward him for.
One player specifically that Reggie Wayne has his eye on ahead of this season is Michael Pittman Jr., who overtook Wayne's longtime teammate Marvin Harrison last year for the Colts record for most receptions by a player in their first four seasons with the team. Pittman also has 115 more receptions and over 500 more receiving yards than Reggie Wayne did during his first four seasons in Indianapolis. But the 26-year-old still has a long way to go before he catches either Wayne (14,345 yards) or Harrison (14,580 yards) atop the Colts all-time receiving yardage list. And in Reggie Wayne's mind, he still has quite a ways to go before he proves himself to his teammates.
“We know you can play. We know you can ball. Let’s elevate our game to a whole different stratosphere,” Wayne said, per James Boyd of The Athletic. “Let’s get a ‘C’ on our chest. … I ain’t never seen someone making $25 million and they ain’t even captain. They gotta figure that out. How does that work?”
It's reasonable to believe that after four seasons with Indianapolis and a fresh new contract extension that came in back in March, Michael Pittman Jr. should be one of the Colts captains in 2024. His performance last year — 109 receptions, 1,152 yards, and 4 touchdowns — warrants as much, and the way that Reggie Wayne talks about him, it's clear this honor may soon be coming his way.
“If we stuck in the alley and we about to get jumped, we all know that Pitt is one of those dudes that we want with us,” Wayne said. “He’s gonna find a way to get it done.”
Reggie Wayne has high hopes for Colts receiving corps
Michael Pittman Jr. wasn't the only Colts wide receiver that Reggie Wayne was prepared to speak highly of following a recent Colts practice. Wayne noted that Josh Downs, who set the Colts rookie record with 68 receptions last year, looks to “add something to his repertoire,” this season. He called rookie wideout Adonai Mitchell “an alpha” and “a dog.” He also noted that he believe Alec Pierce is the player he's most excited about.
“The excitement that I’m feeling for Alec right now in this camp is like no other because, honestly, Alec ain’t never really had to compete,” Wayne said. “The guy has really never really hit his stride. I think this is his time.”
The X-factor for the Indianapolis Colts will be Anthony Richardson, their 2nd-year quarterback who saw a promising rookie season cut short last year. If Richardson can stay on the field for 17 games, and if he's the player that folks around the league believe he could be, the Colts could surprise some people this season, and be in excellent position for years to come.
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