Leave it to the punter to come in with the low blow.
Washington Commanders All-Pro and 3-time Pro Bowl punter Tress Way showed his true colors Thursday when he announced that 2026 would be his 14th and final NFL season, then added a dig at his team’s most hated rival, the Dallas Cowboys, and their starting quarterback, Dak Prescott.
The dig came in response to a question from ESPN’s John Keim about what 1 memory stood out the most in his career.
“You don’t ever root against anybody or any team, but how much the fans loved that I have more passing yards than Dak (in the NFC Championship Game),” Way said.
Way was 1-of-1 passing for 23 yards in the Commanders’ 55-23 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship Game following the 2024 season.
Prescott, who is entering his 11th season, has never played in the NFC Championship Game — a game the Cowboys haven’t played in since a 38-27 win over the Green Bay Packers in January 1996.
Dak Prescott Has Abused Commanders Over Career
Prescott, 33, is coming off arguably the best season of his career in 2025, when he threw for 4,552 yards, 30 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions.
That included 2 wins over the Commanders. In a 30-23 win over Washington on Christmas Day, Prescott went 19-of-30 for 307 yards, 2 touchdowns, no interceptions, and added 4 carries for 24 yards.
Prescott’s mastery of the Commanders throughout his career is truly something to behold — he’s 13-2 in 15 starts since 2016.
Tress Way: Awesome Punter for Terrible Teams
Way, a 3-time Pro Bowler and 2019 NFL All-Pro, has been with the Commanders since making the roster as an undrafted free agent in 2014.
“I’m pretty sure this is my last season,” Way told reporters on Thursday — just 3 days ahead of his team’s regular-season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles.
“Commanders P Tress Way, the longest-tenured player on the team, says he’s ‘pretty sure’ this will be his final season,” Commanders reporter Ben Standig wrote on his official X account.
“Tress Way is retiring after the season,” 7 News DC’s Scott Abraham wrote on X. “Legend.”
Way has played in an incredible 196 consecutive regular-season games over his 1st 13 seasons, including just 2 winning records, 3 different mascots, and 4 different head coaches. He’s also led the NFL in punting twice — in 2014 and 2019 — and holds every significant punting record in franchise history.
Way’s 46.9 average yards per punt is 13th in NFL career history.
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