Tress Way

Last updated

Tress Way
Tress Way Commanders vs Jaguars SEP2022 (cropped).jpg
Way with the Commanders in 2022
Washington Commanders
Position: Punter
Personal information
Born: (1990-04-18) April 18, 1990 (age 34)
Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S.
Height:6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight:220 lb (100 kg)
Career information
High school: Union (Tulsa)
College: Oklahoma (2008–2012)
Undrafted: 2013
Career history
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Roster status:Active
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics as of Week 18, 2023
Games played:162
Punts:726
Punting yards:34,037
Punting average:46.9
Inside 20:274
Player stats at NFL.com  ·  PFR

Tressler William Way (born April 18, 1990) is an American football punter for the Washington Commanders of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Oklahoma, signing with the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent in 2013 and joined the Commanders the following year.

Contents

Early life

Tresslar William Way was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He attended Union High School in Tulsa and graduated in 2008. [1] While at Union High School, he played high school football for Union. [2]

US college sports recruiting information for high school athletes
NameHometownHigh school / collegeHeightWeightCommit date
Tress Way
K
Tulsa, OK Union HS 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)190 lb (86 kg)Jun 24, 2007 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: 2 stars.svg     Rivals: 2 stars.svg     247Sports: N/A   ESPN grade: 78
Overall recruiting rankings: Scout: #12 (national K), #1 (OK K), #11 (school)   Rivals: #17 (K), #17 (OK), #6 (school)
  • Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
  • In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.

Sources:

  • "2008 Oklahoma Football Commitment List". Rivals.com. Retrieved February 1, 2015.
  • "2008 Oklahoma College Football Recruiting Commits". Scout.com. Retrieved February 1, 2015.
  • "Oklahoma Sooners 2008 Player Commits". ESPN.com. Retrieved February 1, 2015.
  • "Scout.com Team Recruiting Rankings". Scout.com. Retrieved February 1, 2015.
  • "2008 Team Ranking". Rivals.com. Retrieved February 1, 2015.

College career

Way attended the University of Oklahoma and redshirted his freshman season with the Oklahoma Sooners football team. [3] He then played in 53 games from the 2009 to 2012 seasons. Way averaged 44.0 yards per punt with a career long of 85. Way switched to punter after an unsuccessful stint at kicker. Of Way's 250 punts, 91 went inside the 20, 71 were for 50 or more yards, and 36 were touchbacks. [1] Way completed his bachelor's degree at Oklahoma in interdisciplinary studies in December 2012. [4] [1]

College statistics

SeasonPunting
PuntsYdsAvg
2009 612,78745.7
2010 733,21244
2011 632,64942
2012 532,34044.2
Career 25010,98844

Professional career

Chicago Bears

Way with the Chicago Bears in 2014 Tress way.jpg
Way with the Chicago Bears in 2014

The Chicago Bears signed Way as an undrafted free agent on April 28, 2013. He was brought in to challenge veteran Adam Podlesh. The Bears waived him on August 25, 2013. [5]

He re-signed with the Bears for the 2014 offseason, but he was waived again after losing out to rookie Pat O'Donnell on August 18, 2014. [6]

Washington Redskins / Football Team / Commanders

Way in 2014 Tress Way (15171046507).jpg
Way in 2014

The Washington Redskins claimed Way off waivers on August 20, 2014. [7] In his first preseason game with the team, he recorded an average of 45.3 yards off of four punts. [8] He became their starting punter for the 2014 season following the release of Robert Malone. For the 2014 season, Way led the NFL in gross punting average with 47.5 yards. [9] He finished his rookie season with 77 punts with a 47.52 average. [10]

At the start of the 2015 season, Way was voted as the team's special teams captain. [11] Overall, he finished the 2015 season with 70 punts for a 46.6 average. [12]

On March 4, 2016, the Redskins extended a tender to Way. [13] The Redskins later signed him to a five-year contract extension on March 12. [14] He finished the 2016 season with 49 punts for a 45.08 average. [15]

In the 2017 season, Way finished with 83 punts for a 45.7 average. [16]

Way in a game against the Carolina Panthers in 2018 Tress Way (45324571861).jpg
Way in a game against the Carolina Panthers in 2018

In Week 10 of the 2018 season, Way punted five times for a net average of 47.8, downing four punts inside the 20-yard line, in a 16–3 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, earning him National Football Conference (NFC) Special Teams Player of the Week. [17] Overall, Way finished the 2018 season with 79 punts for a 45.33 average. [18]

In Week 13 of the 2019 season, Way hit two of his five punts inside the 20 with an average of 58 yards per punt and a long of 79 yards in a 29–21 win over the Carolina Panthers, earning NFC Special Teams Player of the Week. [19] For his performance in 2019, Way was voted to the 2020 Pro Bowl, as well as being named second-team All-Pro. [20] [21] On December 27, 2019, Way signed a four-year, $15 million contract extension. [22] He finished the 2019 season with 79 punts for a 49.61 average. [23] In the 2019 season, he led the NFL in yards per punt. In addition, he recorded the longest punt of the 2019 season with a 79-yarder. [24] He was named to the Pro Bowl for the first time. [25]

In Week 11 of the 2020 season against the Cincinnati Bengals, Way punted five times with a gross average of 50.4 yards while landing three of them inside the 20 during the 20–9 win, later earning the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week award. [26] In Week 14 against the San Francisco 49ers, Way averaged 49.8 yards on 8 punts during the 23–15 win. Way was named the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance in Week 14. [27] In the 2020 season, Way appeared in all 16 games. He recorded 73 total punts for a 48.00 average. [28]

Way in 2021 Tress Way WTF @ PHI 2021 (cropped).jpg
Way in 2021

In the 2021 season, Way played in 16 games. He recorded 60 total punts for a 48.35 average. [29]

Way was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Month for October 2022. [30] In the 2022 season, Way recorded 83 punts with a 46.81 average. [31] In December 2022, Way was voted into the 2023 Pro Bowl. [32]

Way was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week in Week 9 of the 2023 NFL season after placing four of his five punts inside the 20-yard line in a 20–17 road victory over the New England Patriots. [33]

NFL career statistics

Legend
Led the league
BoldCareer high

Regular season

YearTeamGPPunting
PuntsYdsLngBlkAvg
2014 WAS 16773,65977147.5
2015 WAS 16703,22464146.1
2016 WAS 16492,20961045.1
2017 WAS 16833,79464045.7
2018 WAS 16793,58163045.3
2019 WAS 16793,91979049.6
2020 WAS 16733,50465048.0
2021 WAS 16602,90166048.4
2022 WAS 17833,88568046.8
2023 WAS 17733,50468146.8
Career16272634,03779346.9

[34]

Postseason

YearTeamGPPunting
PuntsYdsLngBlkAvg
2015 WAS 1525360050.6
2020 WAS 1521952043.8
Career21047260047.2

[34]


Personal life

In 2013, Way married Brianna Turang, a softball and soccer player at the University of Oklahoma and daughter of former Major League Baseball outfielder Brian Turang. [35] [36] [37]

Way is a Christian. [38]

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References

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  2. "Tress Way, Union , Punter". 247Sports. Archived from the original on April 16, 2023. Retrieved January 29, 2019.
  3. "Tress Way College Stats". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Archived from the original on January 30, 2019. Retrieved January 29, 2019.
  4. @Tress_Way (April 22, 2013). "@Chazparadiddle5 no I graduated" (Tweet) via Twitter.
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  6. "Bears waive P Tress Way, sign KR/PR Darius Reynaud". CSN Chicago. August 18, 2014. Archived from the original on August 22, 2014.
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