Building Pro Football Hall of Fame case for Miami football alum Reggie Wayne

Reggie Wayne is the all-time leader in the history of the Miami football program with 173 receptions. Wayne finished his NFL career 10th in receptions and receiving yards. He will find out if he is selected for the Pro Football Hall of Fame this weekend.

Reggie Wayne was a key part of a prolific Indianapolis Colts offense led by Payton Manning throughout the 2000s. Prior to starring with Manning, wide receiver Marvin Harrison and his college teammate running back Edgerrin James, Wayne was a prolific wide receiver with the Miami football program.

Wayne holds the all-time record for the Miami football program with 173 career receptions, from 1997-2000. Only Stacy Coley was close with 166 from 2013-16. Wayne finished his 14-year NFL career 10th in league history with 14,345 yards and 10th with 1,070 receptions. Wayne defined The U 2.0.

Wayne was signed by Miami as Butch Davis was re-building the Hurricanes following a Pell Grant scandal in the early 1990s. Led by Wayne, Miami’s all-time leader in receiving yards Santana Moss and quarterback Ken Dorsey, the Hurricanes finished second in the county in 2000 following a Sugar Bowl win over Florida.

Wayne became a first-round pick, chosen 30th overall in the 2001 NFL Draft. The native of New Orleans took three years to become a mainstay in the Colts lineup. Wayne started nine of the 13 games he played in as a rookie in 2000. He caught 27 passes for 345 yards without a TD. Wayne started seven of 16 games in 2001.

In his second season, Wayne recorded 49 receptions for 716 yards and four TDs. Wayne increased his reception numbers in each of his first seven seasons in the NFL. By his third season in the league, he began a nine-year span starting every game. Wayne played in 189 consecutive games from 2002-13.

Wayne’s streak came to an end after he suffered a knee injury in 2013 ironically in a win against Manning and the Denver Broncos. He set the NFL record for games with at least three receptions at 71 from 2009-13. Wayne was a key part of the Colts offense that won Super Bowl XLI over the Bears and lost SB XLIV to the Saints.

St. Louis Rams great Isaac Bruce is the only other WR that was named a finalist for 2020 Class for the Hall of Fame. Bruce is 13th in NFL history with 1,024 receptions and fifth with 15,208 receiving yards. The stats for Wayne and Bruce are extremely close. Both won Superbowls and were arguably their team’s second-best WRs.

Bruce played with Torry Holt and for most of his career, Hall of Fame QB Kurt Warner. It is likely going to come down to Wayne or Bruce if either of them gets in. They also have an exceptional group of 13 other players to compete against. For Wayne that includes his college and NFL teammate James. The announcement is Saturday night.