INDIANAPOLIS – The anger started as soon as ESPN's Adam Schefter broke the news that former Indianapolis Colts receiver Reggie Wayne was meeting with the New England Patriots on Sunday.
The anger went to a whole different level once Wayne agreed to a one-year deal with the Patriots on Monday afternoon.
Some fans called Wayne a traitor. Others said they would have been fine with Wayne signing with any team except for the Patriots.
Nobody -- and I mean nobody -- can be mad that Wayne decided to sign with New England.
Stop and think for a second before bashing the receiver. Think back to Colts owner Jim Irsay flying down to Florida to meet with Wayne face to face to tell him that the franchise was parting ways with him after 14 years.
Wayne wanted to return to Indianapolis. He wanted to play one more season and then retire having played his entire 15 years with one organization. That's a rarity in professional sports.
The Colts had no interest. They wanted to move in a different direction after Wayne had his worst season since 2002 when he had 64 receptions for 779 yards and two touchdowns last season.
It's part of the business. The franchise did it with Marvin Harrison and they did it to Peyton Manning, too, so you knew they could do it with anybody.
"We're happy for him, but it's going to stink to have one of the greatest wide receivers in Colts history going up north to help them out," Colts punter Pat McAfee said. "When everything went to hell after that 2-14 year [in 2011], you see Peyton Manning suit up in another uniform. That's when it all kind of hit me personally that anybody could be somewhere else. It's a business."
McAfee's right, it does stink for the Colts. This is not a situation of getting back at the Colts for Wayne. It was a matter of him finding a team that has chance to win. Wayne just happened to sign with the team that has beaten the Colts four straight times, including knocking them out of the playoffs the past two seasons. And Wayne will be catching passes from quarterback Tom Brady, who has been a thorn in the Colts' side.
The Patriots had interest in signing Wayne when he was a free agent after the 2011 season. But he re-signed with the Colts after new coach Chuck Pagano sold him on the direction of the franchise.
"I think it's a great thing for Reggie and his family," Pagano said Monday when he was made aware of the signing. "We all know he wanted to play another year. That's tremendous."
Wayne will return to Lucas Oil Stadium and get dressed in the visiting locker room for the first time when the Patriots come to Indianapolis in Week 6.
"I'm happy for him," said kicker Adam Vinatieri, who left New England to sign with the Colts in 2006. "I know he wanted to play football. He's a great competitor and great athlete. He's going to make that team better. It'll be interesting to see him come here, having him have a different jersey on…I know I'm going to give him a big hug and say, ‘Congratulations and good luck.'"
McAfee wishes Wayne success except against them.
"Hopefully our guys will be able to lock down Reggie," the punter said. "You have to hope he has a great game against everybody else except for us."