Legendary Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Reggie Wayne has paid a heart-wrenching tribute to the team’s late owner, Jim Irsay. Reduced to tears (as were, no doubt, many others in the room), Wayne delivered an emotional summary of Irsay’s kind nature and his love for all things Indianapolis.
Now the team’s wide receivers coach, Wayne, revealed that he’d encouraged the team’s young receivers, who have no experience with any other owner, to learn about the great man themselves.

‘He Really Gave the Clothes Off His Back’ – Reggie Wayne Pays Tribute to Late Colts Owner Jim Irsay
The tributes have continued to pour in following Irsay’s passing, with generations of players and coaches sharing kind words and fond memories of the former owner. During the team’s first media availability since the news broke, Wayne struggled to compose himself while speaking about the man he played for for his entire 14-year career.
Wayne broke down while revealing the message he’d passed on to the team’s young receivers.
“I said, ‘A lot of y’all don’t really know him, but he’d have done anything for anybody. He really gave the clothes off his back.’ I said, ‘Ya’ll don’t really know him, and luckily, like all them dudes that’ve just been here (2025 rookies), you don’t know nothing else.’
Reggie Wayne was very emotional talking about his friend, Colts owner Jim Irsay.
“He cared about his players. He cared about his team. He cared about the city.” pic.twitter.com/nwbrHbOY8g
— WISH-TV News (@WISHNews8) May 28, 2025
“But he cared about his players; he cared about his team; he cared about the city. And it wasn’t just about players. He cared about people in the building. He was that dude. And I told them, ‘Y’all got homework to do, man. Read about him, learn about him, so you really know the type of person he was.'”
Wayne Still Waiting on Hall of Fame Induction
Wayne has been a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in each of the past six classes but has yet to be inducted. Wayne is 10th all-time in receiving yards, and is one of only three receivers in that top-10 to not yet be inducted, along with Larry Fitzgerald and Steve Smith Sr.
The three players behind him on that list, Andre Johnson, James Lofton, and Chris Carter, have all been inducted. Wayne hasn’t been shy in expressing his feelings on the matter, posting a clenched fist gif back in February after his most recent snub.
Welp… pic.twitter.com/JNjKiedklK
— Reggie Wayne (@ReggieWayne_17) February 7, 2025
For now, though, Irsay’s passing remains front and center for Wayne, with a private memorial to be held in Indianapolis on Monday, June 2. The team is working on plans for a public tribute to the former owner and will honor his life with jersey patches in 2025.