Tress Way Bio
Tressler William Way is an American professional football punter for the Washington Commanders of the National Football League (NFL). Standing 6 feet 1 inch tall and weighing 220 pounds, he punts left-footed, a trait considered relatively rare at the professional level. Over the course of his career, Way has earned three Pro Bowl selections and second-team All-Pro honors, while becoming the franchise’s all-time leader in punting yards.
Way joined Washington in 2014 after a brief stint with the Chicago Bears, and he has since developed into one of the most dependable special teams players in the league. Known for his strong leg and consistent placement, he continues to handle punting duties for the Commanders.
Early Life and Background
Tressler William Way was born on April 18, 1990, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He grew up in the Tulsa area and attended Union High School, where he developed his athletic skills before moving on to collegiate competition. His time in Oklahoma shaped both his football foundation and his academic path.
Way went on to attend the University of Oklahoma, where he joined the Oklahoma Sooners football program. He redshirted his freshman season and initially worked as a kicker before transitioning to punter, a switch that defined his professional trajectory. He completed his bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies at Oklahoma in December 2012, finishing his academic work before signing with an NFL team.
Path to American Football
Way’s path to the NFL began at the University of Oklahoma, where he developed into a reliable punter for the Sooners. During the 2009 season, he earned Third-team All-American honors and was named Second-team All-Big 12, signaling his potential at the highest levels of college football. Those accolades helped establish him as a prospect, even though his path to the league was not through the draft.
After completing his college career, Way signed with the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent on April 28, 2013. Although his time in Chicago was brief, the opportunity gave him his first taste of professional football. Being undrafted meant he had to prove himself at every turn, and his subsequent move to Washington provided the platform to do so.
Tress Way Career
Early Career (2013–2014)
The Chicago Bears signed Tressler William Way as an undrafted free agent in April 2013, bringing him in to compete with veteran punter Adam Podlesh. Way was waived in late August of that year, ending his first stint with the team. He returned to the Bears for the 2014 offseason but was released again in August 2014 after losing out to rookie Pat O’Donnell.
Those two releases, while disappointing, quickly gave way to a new opportunity. On August 20, 2014, the Washington Redskins claimed Way off waivers, beginning the most significant chapter of his career. He became the starting punter for the 2014 season following the release of Robert Malone, and he led the NFL in gross punting average that year with 47.5 yards per punt.
Washington Breakthrough (2014–2018)
Way’s first season in Washington set the tone for what became a long and productive career. He finished 2014 with 77 punts and a 47.52 average, immediately establishing himself as a weapon in the field position battle. By the start of the 2015 season, teammates had voted him a special teams captain, a reflection of his growing influence within the locker room.
In March 2016, the team signed Way to a five-year contract extension, signaling long-term confidence in his role. He went on to post 49 punts with a 45.08 average in 2016, followed by 83 punts for a 45.7 average in 2017. During the 2018 season, Way earned NFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors in Week 10 after punting five times for a net average of 47.8 yards, with four punts downed inside the 20-yard line. He finished 2018 with 79 punts for a 45.33 average, cementing his reputation as a reliable, high-volume punter.
Peak Years (2019–2023)
The 2019 season marked Tressler William Way’s arrival as one of the NFL’s top punters. He led the league in yards per punt, recorded a 79-yard punt that was the longest of the season, and was voted to the Pro Bowl for the first time. He also earned second-team All-Pro honors, capping a season in which he finished with 79 punts for a 49.61 average. On December 27, 2019, he signed a four-year, $15 million contract extension.
Way continued to excel in the years that followed. In 2020, he appeared in all 16 games and posted 73 punts for a 48.00 average, earning multiple NFC Special Teams Player of the Week awards along the way. In 2022, he was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Month for October and was voted to the Pro Bowl, recording 83 punts with a 46.81 average. In 2023, he picked up another NFC Special Teams Player of the Week honor after placing four of his five punts inside the 20-yard line in a win over the New England Patriots.
Washington Commanders Era (2014–Present)
Way has been a fixture of the Washington organization since 2014, weathering multiple rebrandings from the Redskins to the Football Team and finally to the Commanders. By the end of the 2024 season, he had become Washington’s all-time leader in punting yards, a clear marker of his long-term value. In 2024, he recorded 50 punts for 2,343 yards with a 46.86 average, and he memorably completed a 23-yard pass off a fake punt during the NFC Championship Game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Way re-signed with the Commanders on a one-year contract in March 2025 and continued to perform at a high level. He finished 2025 with 56 punts for 2,651 yards and a 47.3 average, and on December 23, 2025, the league announced that he was the only Washington player voted into the 2026 Pro Bowl Games. On February 10, 2026, he signed a one-year extension to remain with the team.
Driving Style and Strengths
Way’s strengths as a punter revolve around a powerful left leg, strong placement, and consistency across weather and field conditions. His ability to flip field position has made him a key special teams asset for Washington, and he has earned repeated conference and monthly honors for his weekly performances.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Way’s signature moments are his 2019 season, when he led the NFL in yards per punt and launched a 79-yard punt, and his 2024 fake-punt completion in the NFC Championship Game. He is also Washington’s all-time leader in punting yards, a milestone that reflects both his longevity and his productivity over more than a decade with the franchise.
Tress Way Career Wins
As a punter, Tressler William Way’s statistical success is measured in punting average, placement, and durability rather than wins. He has consistently ranked among the NFL’s top performers at his position, and his longevity with one franchise is itself a hallmark of sustained excellence.
NFL Highlights
Way has been selected to the Pro Bowl three times, in 2019, 2022, and 2025 (for the 2026 Pro Bowl Games), and earned second-team All-Pro honors in 2019. He has also been named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week multiple times, including performances in 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2023, and was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Month for October 2022. In 2014, he led the NFL in gross punting average, and in 2019 he led the league in yards per punt.
Other Performances
At the University of Oklahoma, Way earned Third-team All-American and Second-team All-Big 12 honors in 2009, the foundation of a college career that prepared him for the professional level. Across his NFL tenure, he has been a model of durability, appearing in all 16 games in multiple seasons and continuing to handle full punting duties deep into his career.
Tress Way Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Tressler William Way’s family is rooted in sports. He married Brianna Turang, a softball and soccer player at the University of Oklahoma, in 2013. Brianna is the sister of Major League Baseball infielder Brice Turang and the daughter of former Major League Baseball outfielder Brian Turang, giving the Way family a strong athletic pedigree beyond football.
Personal Life
Way is married to Brianna Turang, and the couple’s family ties run through Oklahoma athletics. He is a Christian, and his personal life has remained largely out of the public spotlight beyond his well-known family connections. Way’s left-footed punting style has become one of the signature details of his professional identity.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season reinforced Tressler William Way’s standing as one of the NFL’s most dependable punters. He finished the year with 56 punts for 2,651 yards and a 47.3 average, showing no drop-off in his late-career production. His consistency in both distance and placement kept him among the league leaders at his position.
The biggest individual honor came on December 23, 2025, when the league announced that Way was the only Washington player voted into the 2026 Pro Bowl Games, his third career Pro Bowl selection. That recognition, paired with another year of strong numbers, ensured that he would remain a central part of the Commanders’ special teams plans going forward.
Shortly after the season ended, on February 10, 2026, Way signed a one-year extension with Washington, signaling that both player and team viewed his role as unfinished business. With his franchise records intact and his Pro Bowl form continuing, the outlook for the next season remained strongly positive.