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Super Bowl XLI: Indy receiver Wayne takes brotherly love to super heights
Mike Conroy/Associated Press
Colts receiver Reggie Wayne goes for a catch against the Patriots in the AFC Championship game. Wayne's brother Rashad died in September, and Wayne says he has been watching over the team ever since. "I talked to him at halftime of the New England game," Wayne said. "I think he set all that up to make it interesting." The Colts rallied from a 21-3 deficit to advance to Super Bowl XLI.
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MIAMI — First stop for Reggie Wayne is the Super Bowl. Next week it's the Pro Bowl with four of his Indianapolis Colts teammates.
If only his older brother, Rashad, could share these moments with him.
"A lot of my success today has come through him. I think about him all the time," Wayne said.
On Sept. 24, Rashad Wayne's delivery truck hit a guardrail near New Orleans, where he lived. The 32-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene.
His brother immediately flew home to help the family make funeral arrangements. The Colts sent a delegation of players and team officials to Louisiana for the services. Even with the support of family, friends and fans, Wayne still mourns the loss.
"I talk to him before I go to bed, and I talked to him at halftime of the New England game," Wayne said. "I think he set all that up to make it interesting."
Teammates and coaches who endured similar experiences have offered their support, including coach Tony Dungy, whose 18-year-old son, James, committed suicide in December 2005, and linebacker Gary Brackett, who lost his parents and a brother in an 18-month span after his rookie season.
Both talked to Wayne about their experiences, and Dungy, who instructs players to put faith and family ahead of football, gave Wayne as much time as he needed before returning to the team.
While Wayne's absence lasted three days, the grieving process has lingered.
"People think that because we're on TV, we're bigger than life," Dungy said. "But football is not bigger than life. We go through the same things everyone else does. I think that helps me counsel the team because I can tell them that they're not immune to it."
Despite their help, getting back in football mode proved challenging for Wayne.
He considered sitting out a game, against the New York Jets, before eventually deciding his brother would have wanted him to play. He caught four passes for 74 yards that day, a game he later acknowledged tested his concentration.
The next week against Tennessee, Wayne caught three passes for 24 yards including the game-winner - a 2-yard TD pass that gave Indy a 14-13 victory. He believes his brother played a role in that game, and said he felt his brother's spirit when the Colts pulled off the greatest comeback in conference championship game history against archrival New England.
"In some form or fashion, I think he's helped pave the way for this team because he was the biggest Colts fan out there," Wayne said. "So I've dedicated all of this to him."
Wayne now keeps a photo of his brother in his locker as a reminder of what this season is about. In terms of football, it's been his best.
After signing a $39 million contract extension last year, Wayne produced his first Pro Bowl season by finishing second to Marvin Harrison in receptions (86) and yardage (1,310), both career highs. He also caught nine touchdowns, the second-highest total of his career, and earned a trip to the Super Bowl when the Colts won the AFC Championship.
Wayne believes his brother will have the best seat at Dolphin Stadium for Sunday's game.
"You know, there were so many little things he did for me, it's hard to explain," Wayne said. "I have two brothers - he was the middle one - and he and my other brother were way more talented than me. They made me who I am today, along with my parents. I've dedicated a lot to my brother and to my family, period. But I did want to do some things this year for my brother."
