No Washington fan wanted there to ever be a Tress Way last season. But it appears it may already be underway. Washington’s longtime punter told reporters Thursday that he’s “pretty sure” 2026 will be his final year in the league, just three days before the regular-season opener against Philadelphia.
An Improbable 13-Year Run
Way’s story in Washington almost never happened. Chicago signed him as an undrafted free agent out of Oklahoma in 2013 and cut him before he ever played a regular-season snap. Washington claimed him off waivers in 2014, and he’s started every one of his 196 regular-season games in burgundy and gold ever since. “I just felt wanted here,” he said. “I felt wanted here my whole career.”
A Record-Setting Career
Way will eventually leave as the most accomplished punter in franchise history. He holds Washington’s records for career punting yards (39,031), yards per punt (46.9), and punts inside the 20 (325).
His best individual season came in 2019, when he led the NFL in punting average and boomed the league’s longest punt of the year at 79 yards, earning his lone All-Pro nod.
Breaking the News Quietly First
Way said he gave general manager Adam Peters and head coach Dan Quinn a heads-up before speaking publicly, not wanting the announcement to catch them off guard.
He’s one of five team captains this season, alongside Jayden Daniels, Terry McLaurin, Frankie Luvu, and safety Jeremy Reaves, his closest friend on the roster.
Way officiated Reaves’ wedding in March, and Reaves grew emotional discussing the news with reporters. “I always had in my mind we’d go out on our own terms together,” Way said.
Class Act
Way has always been a consummate professional. Given the hoopla that arose with Jayden Daniels and LSU and the number 5 – how much more relevant is Tress just handing the number to JD5 when he got here. To very little fanfare and applause.
A Fitting, Emotional Send-Off
Way didn’t hide how much the moment meant to him. “I feel like everybody’s cutting onions all the time around here,” he said. Reflecting on his three Pro Bowl selections, he kept it simple: “The Pro Bowls are sweet.”
Nothing is official yet, and Way stopped short of an outright declaration. But barring a change of heart, Washington fans are watching the final season of one of the most beloved players in recent franchise memory.
Career Statistics
| Team | Year | G | Pnt | Yds | Avg | Lng | In20 | Pro Bowl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | 2014 | 16 | 77 | 3,659 | 47.5 | 77 | 22 | |
| Washington | 2015 | 16 | 70 | 3,224 | 46.1 | 64 | 21 | |
| Washington | 2016 | 16 | 49 | 2,209 | 45.1 | 61 | 15 | |
| Washington | 2017 | 16 | 83 | 3,794 | 45.7 | 64 | 33 | |
| Washington | 2018 | 16 | 79 | 3,581 | 45.3 | 63 | 41 | |
| Washington | 2019 | 16 | 79 | 3,919 | 49.6 | 79 | 30 | PB |
| Washington | 2020 | 16 | 73 | 3,504 | 48.0 | 65 | 23 | |
| Washington | 2021 | 16 | 60 | 2,901 | 48.4 | 66 | 22 | |
| Washington | 2022 | 17 | 83 | 3,885 | 46.8 | 68 | 37 | PB |
| Washington | 2023 | 17 | 73 | 3,361 | 46.0 | 66 | 30 | |
| Washington | 2024 | 17 | 50 | 2,343 | 46.9 | 74 | 22 | |
| Washington | 2025 | 17 | 56 | 2,651 | 47.3 | 71 | 29 | PB |
| Career Total | 12 seasons | 196 | 832 | 39,031 | 46.9 | 79 | 325 | 3x PB |
G = Games played, Pnt = Punts, Yds = Punting yards, Avg = Yards per punt, Lng = Longest punt, In20 = Punts inside the 20-yard line. Bolded figures indicate led the NFL that season. Way was also named Second-team All-Pro in 2019. Stats via Pro Football Reference.
