Best quarterback/wide receiver duos in NFL history
By Staff
Peyton Manning could easily go down as the greatest quarterback ever. Well, maybe the greatest regular-season quarterback ever. There are those who still argue that Tom Brady deserves that title.
But that’s a topic for another time. This slide is about Manning’s second favorite target during his time with the Indianapolis Colts: Reggie Wayne.
During his 14-year run with Indy, Manning connected with Wayne for 67 touchdowns and more than 10,000 yards.
They won the Super Bowl together in 2006 and made it back there in 2009 but lost to the New Orleans Saints and Drew Brees. You could make the argument that Manning made Wayne better than he was, but Wayne was still good when Manning left for Denver. Plus, Manning made everyone better, so that doesn’t quite hold water.
Manning completed more than 100 passes to Wayne in four seasons during their tenure, and Wayne led the league in 2007 with 1,510 receiving yards.
The Colts eventually decided to go in another direction with Andrew Luck, thus forcing Manning to opt for the Broncos in free agency. Had the Colts gone with a complete rebuild and gotten rid of Wayne, there’s no doubt he would have tried to follow Manning to Denver.
They had a surreal kind of chemistry together.