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Colts wide receiver Reggie Wayne just concluded his 14th regular season with the franchise, and that has caused many (including Wayne himself) to wonder what the future holds for the 36-year old. Will this year be his final season? Will this Sunday be his final home game? Or will he decide to come back for another season?
On Tuesday night, Wayne appeared on his weekly radio show with Jake Query and Derek Schultz on 1260 WNDE, and he said that if he had to answer today, he'd be back in 2015:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>More Reggie on his future: "If I had to answer that question today, I'd say I'll be back... as long as the Colts would have me."</p>— Derek Schultz (@Schultz1260) <a href="https://twitter.com/Schultz1260/status/550062551409913856">December 30, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Wayne on if he's thought about this being his last home game ever: "I have so much on my plate right now, I haven't even thought about it."</p>— Derek Schultz (@Schultz1260) <a href="https://twitter.com/Schultz1260/status/550062420245635072">December 30, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Of course, this isn't much of an answer from Reggie Wayne other than just to get people to stop asking, as he didn't say that he will actually return next season - only that, if he had to choose right now, he would. There are a lot of variables that will factor into his decision: his age (36-years old), his injuries (he tore his ACL last year and this season has been playing with a shoulder injury and torn triceps, plus he injured his groin last week too), his upcoming free agency, and perhaps most importantly, other factors such as family. Though he's a free agent, he's not going anywhere. The only two options for next season are retirement or playing for the Colts, and both are very possible. But I think we also have to consider that Wayne is closing in on the franchise record books for receiving, and if he comes back for another year he'd likely break them. Wayne is just 33 receptions and 236 yards away from breaking the Colts' franchise records for both career receptions and career receiving yards, passing Marvin Harrison. Already this season Wayne became the all-time franchise leader in games played and in wins, and by coming back another season Wayne would almost certainly set two more significant records.
In 2014, Wayne caught 62 passes and 779 yards (both second on the team to T.Y. Hilton) along with two touchdowns. He was hampered by the shoulder and triceps injuries all season long, and Wayne said last week that he will undergo offseason surgery on his triceps. He will play this weekend in the playoffs however, and despite his comments there will be the real possibility that it could be his final home game with the franchise. There's a lot of time left to go and a lot of decisions left to be made by Reggie before it's determined either way, but he said on Tuesday night that if he had to answer today, he'd be coming back in 2015.