It’s been a busy few weeks for Washington Football Team punter Tress Way.
Way was the recent subject of an NFL short film that gave viewers an insider’s look at the life of a punter, complete with a home video of his exploits in high school back in Oklahoma (also profiled by the NFL back in the day).
Last week, he was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week. Way averaged almost 50 yards per punt on eight punts against the San Francisco 49ers. Also, Way kept the 49ers out of Washington territory in the fourth quarter kicking inside his own 25-yard line four times.
Along the way, he also made a tackle, something that surprised him as much as anyone else.
“I basically just lunged at him and held on for dear life and not let him in the end zone,” he said in a video call with reporters Wednesday. “The next morning, my neck hurt, my back hurt the side of my foot hurt. I usually don’t get sore after games, and my respect level for these guys went up even higher for these guys and the work they put in for me and the beating they sometimes take.”
Officially, he was credited with half a tackle along with Robert Foster on 49ers returner Brandon Aiyuk. Way said he was motivated to get into the scrum because he thought he didn’t hit a very good punt, despite the fact it traveled 52 yards. The 49ers wound up taking over on their own 48-yard line. It would be the closest San Francisco would get to the end zone the rest of the game. It was a performance that did not go unnoticed by Head Coach Ron Rivera.
“The beauty of a guy who can flip the field and hang the ball up and eliminate the possibility of a return a big return, that’s impactful,” Rivera said earlier this week.
He also took a moment to give a joke about Way’s fourth-quarter tackle.
“I didn’t see the tackle. Somebody had told me he made the tackle, but until I do see it, it’s a myth,” he said. He quickly added that he was kidding.
“He’s a heck of an athlete he really is. In my opinion, he deserves the nod as the pro bowl kicker (this year),” Rivera said.
For his part, Way is taking the attention in stride. He has long been a cult figure amongst hardcore fans. Along with fellow special teamers kicker Dustin Hopkins and long snapper Nate Sundberg, the trio are three of the longest-tenured players on the roster. For an organization that has seen roster, coaching, and front office churn as a way of life for 20 years, such consistency has been rare.
Way says the secret to his success isn’t hard to figure out; it starts and ends with his fellow special teamers. All of whom will get a thank you gift from Way this week. A favorite spirit bottle of wine or snack. He says they are the ones that make it possible for a punter to win special teams player of the week.
“These guys all those forced fair catches you see from Troy Apke and Danny Johnson and Robert Foster,” Way said.
“That’s the stuff that doesn’t make the special teams player of the week and I’m so thankful,” Way said. “I’m going to keep gassing those guys up that are making those plays for me because after making that one tackle, I have no desire to do that ever again so I’m going to keep those guys happy and motivated I’m all about it.”