Washington Commanders punter Tress Way has been with the franchise since 2014, experiencing a few ups but largely a lot of downs with the team. With the arrival of quarterback Jayden Daniels, Way saw both a bright future for the Commanders and was reminded of why he’s a team captain.
Way, age 34, has been with Washington’s NFL franchise for a decade. While he’s earned plenty of personal accolades during that time, including two Pro Bowl selections, team accomplishments have been few and far between for the Commanders.
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After being selected with the second overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft by the Commanders, Daniels wanted to wear the No. 5. However, that number has been on the back of Way’s jersey since he joined the franchise in 2014. As he explained recently, it created a very difficult choice for him.
“I was 1 with Chicago, I didn’t like it. I got there, they gave me 1 and I got picked up here on the waiver wire. It was the first time I felt wanted. I came in, 5 was sitting there, I said ‘I like that’ It just kinda…this is harder than I thought…I think about, I was talking to my wife, I’ve been fortunate enough to have been voted team captain four times. If I get voted captain again in my career, that C gets filled in. I was like ‘Man, it’s going to be weird if I give up the number, that first time I get that C filled in, it’s going to be a different number”
Washington Commanders punter Tress Way on the difficult of giving up the No. 5
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There’s a strong likelihood that Way will be voted team captain again by the Commanders’ players, which would mean the ‘C’ emblem patch on his jersey is filled in. While the No. 5 didn’t mean anything special to him when he first joined the team, all the years he has spent with Washington have made it meaningful.
Fortunately, Way’s wife was there to provide him with the words he needed that made changing jersey numbers much easier.
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“My wife said, ‘Why do you have the C in the first place? What gives you the C?’ Just feel like there’s so much excitement around this organization, hands down the most I’ve ever seen…I just feel like this is a very small part i can do.”
Tress Way on giving the No. 5 to Jayden Daniels, excitement in the organization (H/T Washington Commanders)
Way and his family will be getting something nice out of this, too. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Daniels will send Way and his family to an Oklahoma Sooners vs LSU Tigers football game after the Commanders’ punter retires from the NFL.
Considering the personal significance behind the No. 5 to Way and how emotionally difficult it was at first to give up the number, his final decision will likely just be one of the many reasons why he is named a Commanders team captain in 2024 and gets that C filled in.