The longest-tenured Commander is playing out his swan song.
Three-time Pro Bowl punter Tress Way said Thursday that he would likely retire at the end of this season.
“This year is special because I am pretty sure that this is going to be my last season,” he said. “It’s just one of those, taking it all in. I feel like everybody’s cutting onions all the time around here.”
Way became a fan favorite during the final, loss-filled seasons of former owner Dan Snyder. He was often a lone bright spot on abysmal teams, with a charisma and charm that radiated throughout interactions with fans and media members.
The Oklahoma product signed with the Chicago Bears after going undrafted in 2013. He never saw the field during the regular season.
After Chicago cut him, Washington claimed him in 2014 through the league’s waiver wire.
“When I got claimed on the waiver wire, I just felt wanted here,” the 36-year-old said with teary eyes. “I’ve felt wanted here my whole career. So, I didn’t want to play anywhere else.”
Way signed a one-year extension with the Commanders during the offseason after receiving Pro Bowl honors in 2025.
“I thought he was joking,” Commanders safety and former special teams Pro Bowler Jeremy Reaves said of Way’s announcement. “Fifty percent of me didn’t want to believe it, and then 50% of me felt that it was actually real this time. … It was a gut punch.”
The Commanders open the season with a trip to Philadelphia to face the Eagles on Sunday afternoon.
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