Reggie Wayne: Bill Belichick Told Me To Keep $450,000 Signing Bonus
BOSTON (CBS) -- Reggie Wayne is a New England Patriots legend. Not for anything he did on the field, of course, but he earns that tag for the work he did with his bank account during his ultra-brief tenure with New England.
Wayne signed with the Patriots in late August of 2015, and he only lasted two weeks before deciding to retire. For that "work," the former All-Pro cashed in to the tune of $450,000.
Speaking on the "Hellipod Podcast," Wayne said he offered to give that dough back to the Patriots, but Bill Belichick told him to keep it.
"I went up to him and I said, 'Hey, this is what it is. I know got a signing bonus. I'll give it back, no biggie," Wayne said, as transcribed by the Detroit Free Press. "Bill Belichick told me to keep it. Told me to keep it. I'm like, 'Hey, you ain't got to bend my arm back twice.' He told me to keep it. And that was love, man. And I always had respect for him. I've heard people and seen stuff that he's done on camera of his respect for me, and maybe that was just his sign of appreciation. We had a lot of battles against that team, so he told me to keep it. We kept it in the bank. I appreciate it."
Wayne added: "Hey, the best job ever."
Nearly a half-mil for a couple of weeks of football practice? Can't argue with that.
