I never thought I would see the day Marvin wasn't a Colt. 
I wonder how Peyton's feeling.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - The Indianapolis Colts released Marvin Harrison on Tuesday, ending the star receiver's 13 years with the team.
Colts owner Jim Irsay grudgingly honored Harrison's request to be released after meeting with him in a final effort to re-sign the franchise's career receiving leader.
Harrison would have counted $13.4 million against the cap in 2009, the highest of any NFL receiver. Although Indianapolis wanted to restructure Harrison's contract, Polian said there was no feasible way to do it. Agent Tom Condon said a day earlier that Harrison declined a pay cut.
He was second in NFL career receptions. He turns 37 in August and was coming off the least productive season of his career in which he was not injured. Cutting him could save the Colts about $6 million on next season's salary cap.
Team officials turned the news conference to announce Harrison's release - the receiver didn't attend - into an emotional tribute to one of the most identifiable players in the franchise's Indianapolis era.
They took turns recounting stories that stretched back more than a decade. Irsay's halting words at the start and team president Bill Polian's reddened eyes at the end were indicative of how hard it was to let go of one of the best receivers in NFL history.
"I've always treasured the time I've had with him because I respected him so much as a person," Polian said. "He worked so hard at his craft, he was always so prepared and he did every little thing he could to win. And he did it with quiet dignity, superb professionalism and with a sense of contribution to the team, that really is second to none."
Irsay saw the announcement as more of a temporary goodbye than a permanent farewell. He wants to re-sign Harrison again, one day, so he can leave the game as a Colts player.
The move was made because Harrison's price tag was too expensive.
Harrison is the second member of the Colts' original triplets - Edgerrin James and Peyton Manning were the others - to depart.
"It will be strange to line up under center and not see No. 88 out on my right," Manning said in a statement issued by the team. "He is a Hall of Fame receiver, I am proud to have played with him, and he will always be an Indianapolis Colt in my book."
With three-time Pro Bowler Reggie Wayne and Anthony Gonzalez ready to make up for Harrison's absence, the Colts couldn't afford the luxury of keeping three former first-round picks.
Over the past two seasons, Harrison hasn't played up to his usual standards.
He missed all but five games in 2007 because of injuries, underwent offseason knee surgery and then caught 60 passes in 2008 - less than half of his NFL record 143 in 2002.
Yet Colts coach Jim Caldwell and Polian continued to insist that Harrison hadn't lost a step.
He caught 1,102 passes for 14,580 yards and 128 touchdowns - all rank in the NFL's top five. He broke all of the Colts' major single-season and career receiving records, most previously held by Hall of Famer Raymond Berry, and teamed with Manning to form the most prolific passing duo in league history.
Harrison won a Super Bowl and was selected to eight Pro Bowls.
He does not believe his career was finished.
He hopes to sign with another team, possibly as early as Friday when the free-agent market opens.
http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/9261460/Colts-release-13-year-veteran-WR-Harrison?MSNHPHMA
I wonder how Peyton's feeling.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - The Indianapolis Colts released Marvin Harrison on Tuesday, ending the star receiver's 13 years with the team.
Colts owner Jim Irsay grudgingly honored Harrison's request to be released after meeting with him in a final effort to re-sign the franchise's career receiving leader.
Harrison would have counted $13.4 million against the cap in 2009, the highest of any NFL receiver. Although Indianapolis wanted to restructure Harrison's contract, Polian said there was no feasible way to do it. Agent Tom Condon said a day earlier that Harrison declined a pay cut.
He was second in NFL career receptions. He turns 37 in August and was coming off the least productive season of his career in which he was not injured. Cutting him could save the Colts about $6 million on next season's salary cap.
Team officials turned the news conference to announce Harrison's release - the receiver didn't attend - into an emotional tribute to one of the most identifiable players in the franchise's Indianapolis era.
They took turns recounting stories that stretched back more than a decade. Irsay's halting words at the start and team president Bill Polian's reddened eyes at the end were indicative of how hard it was to let go of one of the best receivers in NFL history.
"I've always treasured the time I've had with him because I respected him so much as a person," Polian said. "He worked so hard at his craft, he was always so prepared and he did every little thing he could to win. And he did it with quiet dignity, superb professionalism and with a sense of contribution to the team, that really is second to none."
Irsay saw the announcement as more of a temporary goodbye than a permanent farewell. He wants to re-sign Harrison again, one day, so he can leave the game as a Colts player.
The move was made because Harrison's price tag was too expensive.
Harrison is the second member of the Colts' original triplets - Edgerrin James and Peyton Manning were the others - to depart.
"It will be strange to line up under center and not see No. 88 out on my right," Manning said in a statement issued by the team. "He is a Hall of Fame receiver, I am proud to have played with him, and he will always be an Indianapolis Colt in my book."
With three-time Pro Bowler Reggie Wayne and Anthony Gonzalez ready to make up for Harrison's absence, the Colts couldn't afford the luxury of keeping three former first-round picks.
Over the past two seasons, Harrison hasn't played up to his usual standards.
He missed all but five games in 2007 because of injuries, underwent offseason knee surgery and then caught 60 passes in 2008 - less than half of his NFL record 143 in 2002.
Yet Colts coach Jim Caldwell and Polian continued to insist that Harrison hadn't lost a step.
He caught 1,102 passes for 14,580 yards and 128 touchdowns - all rank in the NFL's top five. He broke all of the Colts' major single-season and career receiving records, most previously held by Hall of Famer Raymond Berry, and teamed with Manning to form the most prolific passing duo in league history.
Harrison won a Super Bowl and was selected to eight Pro Bowls.
He does not believe his career was finished.
He hopes to sign with another team, possibly as early as Friday when the free-agent market opens.
http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/9261460/Colts-release-13-year-veteran-WR-Harrison?MSNHPHMA
