Commanders punter Tress Way joins G&D LIVE from Lost Rhino in Ashburn to discuss many things, including how he wants to be in Washington for life.
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00:00Out in Ashburn at Lost Rhino Brewpub, 5 o'clock, our Nats season preview kicks off.
00:08We're celebrating the release of the Hitting Dingers IPA that they've got out here at Lost
00:13Rhino Brewpub in Ashburn.
00:15Grant and Danny with you on the fan, and we are joined now by a longtime friend of the
00:19program, the people's punter, really the holder for the Washington Commanders Tressway.
00:25It is good to see you, brother.
00:26You too, man.
00:27We've known each other about for like a year.
00:30We got to get together.
00:31We'll get you some wings, get a beer.
00:33I texted you a couple of days ago, I'm like, you know, we're coming out your way.
00:36You did.
00:37So I'm glad that we could put this thing together to celebrate the return of Tressway after
00:41your new one-year deal.
00:42You're crazy.
00:43You're back for another year.
00:44Back for another year.
00:45Longest tenured member of the organization.
00:4712, man.
00:49We met my rookie year.
00:50That's right.
00:5112 years.
00:52That's pretty awesome.
00:53That was like three and a half kids ago for me.
00:56Right?
00:58Not because we have half of a child, but because we have a fourth on the way.
01:01I'd like to hear the science behind that.
01:02Yes.
01:03There's a fourth on the way.
01:04It's got a few months left of development.
01:06And then it'll be here.
01:08And mortgages and cars and a lot of kids for you and a marriage as well.
01:12But you're all grown up and you are, I was just talking to you, you're one of the reps
01:16for the club that has to go and basically hear what the union thinks and then report
01:21back to other players.
01:22Because you're a responsible guy that can be trusted with such matters.
01:28They send you to random cities.
01:29Correct.
01:30It's like, I got to go here.
01:31Yeah.
01:32Where were you this past trip?
01:33Well, they focused on getting the attendance up and they were like, well, what can we do
01:38to really ensure that guys get there?
01:40And so they offered to fly you and your family to the meetings and put you up in the hotel
01:44for the week.
01:45And they offered up Maui this year.
01:47So attendance was 100%.
01:50We did a survey at the end and it said, hey, how much did the location affect you coming
01:58to the meetings?
01:59And it was like one to 10.
02:00I was like, I was going to come regardless.
02:02I'm the voter.
02:03I'm going to go.
02:04But if they're asking just in case they're thinking next year, I'm going to go and put
02:0710.
02:08Let's be honest here.
02:10So it was unreal, man.
02:11Maybe that's what they've got to do annually.
02:13The combine every year is in Indianapolis.
02:17There are these used to be that the NFL draft was at Radio City Music Hall every year.
02:22Maybe these union meetings have to be in Maui.
02:25You know, what's a shame is that I could have put that in motion and we could have voted
02:29on that right there and it just slammed the gavel.
02:32That's a freaking missed opportunity right there.
02:34Yeah.
02:35I needed you to work on that.
02:36But the off season for you.
02:38So was there ever a time when you thought maybe you weren't coming back?
02:42How does that work?
02:43Or is it as well as they'll get to me?
02:45Yeah.
02:47They want me here because every time we go through our list of free agents of who needs
02:50to come back and who doesn't.
02:52It's so obvious when you've got a really good partner, you don't have to worry about.
02:56But it's also not a thing where if you want to be here, it's not like you're just going
02:59to like call out of Peter's book.
03:01Just sign with the Bears.
03:02Sorry about your luck.
03:03So how did the process?
03:05Yeah.
03:06Yeah.
03:07So honestly, like whenever whenever we had the whole the whole change, the whole regime
03:11change going into this year, I was I was going in last year, my contract and oldest
03:17player on the team been here a long time, have just freaking loved it and don't don't
03:22want to play anywhere else.
03:25And going into this last season, I was like, man, you know, like, I don't know how to necessarily
03:30approach this.
03:31Like, do I approach this like this is my last season here, like because, hey, you know,
03:34at some point I hope it's not for a while, but at some point somebody else is going to
03:38have to punt for Washington.
03:39Like I will have to dip out at some point.
03:41Well, but I've actually raised the idea that when you're done, we just don't punt anymore.
03:46You know, your retired jerseys.
03:47Yeah, we're going to retire the position.
03:48Well, unlike, you know, for all the fourth downs, like we're Holy Cross.
03:51Yeah.
03:52And like, honestly, if we have to throw in like a little sneak, sneaky, fake puns, I
03:55can I can try and convert that way as well instead of giving that now two for two thirty
03:59eight yards in your career.
04:01I'm three for three.
04:02I've got you two for two.
04:04It's incorrect.
04:05Really?
04:06Ask me my stats.
04:07I will give better stats than anything you find online.
04:10They may not be accurate, but this one is three for three.
04:11Hold on.
04:12I'm going to fade fade against the Giants in twenty fifteen through an out route through
04:17it to Quentin Dunbar.
04:18Quentin Dunbar came in as a wide receiver.
04:20Couldn't catch so bad that they moved him to D.B.
04:23Yeah, let's throw a fake punt to him.
04:24Let's get.
04:25OK, so who are you playing in that game?
04:27We're playing the Giants at at MetLife.
04:29Was that Puma?
04:30That was Puma.
04:31Puma.
04:32Let's rate.
04:33Yes.
04:34OK, Colorado was against the Eagles out route in twenty eighteen at home.
04:37We were eliminated.
04:38We chose night game and threw an out route against the Eagles to J.U.
04:42Chesson.
04:43And OK, I only remember that because that name, that's not a name I've ever thought
04:48of for one other second.
04:49Otherwise, with all due respect to the Chessons.
04:51Yes.
04:52And so and then obviously to Ben.
04:54Oh, you know what?
04:55OK, so here's what happened.
04:56I guarantee the season.
04:58Exactly.
04:59Two for two for thirty eight yards.
05:00That's fair.
05:01It's going to be your regular season stats.
05:02Yeah, because whenever it is quantified differently, I think I talk about my stats like three or
05:07four times a day to like different people who's whoever's willing to listen.
05:10So that's fair.
05:11I never talk about my postseason stats.
05:13All right.
05:14So, Darris, give me a little game show music.
05:16I was going to save this for later in our sit down in our hour together.
05:21But we've already gotten here.
05:22So I want to quiz Tress way on his own career a little bit.
05:25And you're kind of sticking your chest out.
05:28No, I'm not.
05:29You're telling me, you know, your number.
05:31Oh, I was going to say, I just leaned up to take a sip of the new beer.
05:34So how is it phenomenal?
05:35Yeah, I'm a big hazy IPA guy.
05:38The only thing I'm nervous about is this microphone sounds super clear.
05:41So I may be burping up hitting dingers into the mic.
05:45Those are the dingers you hit after you drink it on air, I think.
05:47All right.
05:48But I I didn't know if you were a guy that like knew the back of your baseball card.
05:52I do not.
05:53It sounds like you might.
05:54Well, listen, whenever I think memories of these fake punts, yes, I do, because I'm a
05:58punter and I get a chance to throw the ball.
06:00So, yeah, I rewatch those at least three or four times a day.
06:03All right.
06:04How many punts have you had blocked in your career?
06:08One is too many, but I'll say I'll say three on the nose.
06:14Three block punts.
06:15No, thank you.
06:16All right.
06:17I could probably remember all of them to going back, but I get me.
06:20Let's hear him.
06:21Got one blocked against Dallas because Dallas scored on offense, defense and special teams
06:24of.
06:25Oh, I remember that game.
06:26Yeah.
06:27Waxing was just that was terrible.
06:28That wasn't the like eight hundred to seven game at their place.
06:31Yes, it was.
06:32I don't want to talk anymore about that horrible.
06:34Go to my first game ever in the NFL against the Houston Texans at Houston 2014.
06:39Blocked.
06:40Really?
06:41Yep.
06:42Out.
06:43Alfred Blue running back up and under.
06:44Boom.
06:45That was week one.
06:46Week one.
06:47Yeah.
06:48My first game.
06:49I think that was Jay's Gruden's first game.
06:50It was.
06:51Yes.
06:52OK.
06:53And then crap.
06:54Oh, and then Dallas.
06:55Dallas two years ago.
06:56Fucking Dallas.
06:57What are we doing here?
06:58It's.
06:59Well, fossils gone.
07:00Now he's great coordinator.
07:01He's in Tennessee.
07:02So just go.
07:04And against what team?
07:07Seventy nine against the New York Giants.
07:09I've got seventy nine against the Carolina Panthers.
07:12Oh, it is the Panthers.
07:13Seventy nine yards.
07:14He knew it, though.
07:15Oh, it's seven.
07:16Seventy seven against the Giants.
07:17You're on a meter right now.
07:18Seventy seven is number two on the list.
07:19Yes.
07:20And that was your one.
07:21Yeah.
07:22All right.
07:23This one's fun.
07:24I'm excited about this.
07:25How many career rushing yards do you have?
07:26Oh, crap.
07:27I didn't know.
07:28I didn't know.
07:29I didn't know.
07:30I didn't know.
07:31I didn't know.
07:32I didn't know.
07:34I didn't know.
07:35I didn't make it.
07:36Over under point five.
07:37Over under.
07:38It was under.
07:39I got tackled behind the line of scrimmage, I think.
07:40Is it negative?
07:41I've got you at two rushing yards.
07:42Oh, I see.
07:43I crossed the line of scrimmage.
07:44Didn't get the first down.
07:45How about that?
07:46The St. Louis Rams.
07:47Whenever I tell some of my young teammates I played against the St. Louis Rams.
07:50That makes you sound so old.
07:52Dude, I told one of my buddies.
07:54I was like, yeah, I used to sit here and talk with D. Hall all the time.
07:57And he was just good.
07:58And I said something cool that D. Hall used to do.
08:01And one of my teammates goes, dude, you play with D. Hall?
08:03I was just like, yeah, man.
08:04And he looked at me and goes, how old are you?
08:06That means you're old now?
08:07I guess that's true.
08:08I was like, that backfired.
08:09I was just like, he's going to think this is cool.
08:11He's a DBs coach now.
08:12So I guess that's a thing.
08:13That is, to me, as a sports fan, one of the things that dates you.
08:16There's really two.
08:17Now that I'm in my mid, I'm an old guy.
08:19Mid-30s, right?
08:20Oh, yeah.
08:21Samesies.
08:22All right.
08:23So I think we're, well, what are you?
08:24I'm turning 35 in two weeks.
08:25Oh, I'm older than you.
08:26You're such a young guy.
08:28All right.
08:29So the point of the story is, though, when a junior of a player I loved is now playing.
08:35And this is a thing in baseball, I'll just tell you.
08:37Oh, yeah.
08:38Like, Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
08:40Yes.
08:41No, no, no, man.
08:42Your dad was my guy.
08:43That's right.
08:44You can't be here yet.
08:45Isn't there a young Biggio playing right now, too?
08:46Cabin, Biggio.
08:47Every Blue Jay player.
08:48Bo Bichette.
08:49Bichette.
08:50You know, it's Dante Bichette's kid.
08:51Yeah.
08:52But when the kid of the player that I liked this card, that I pretended to be him in my
08:56yard.
08:57You're there.
08:58I might as well be 100.
08:59Are you starting to say these kids?
09:00Like, I find myself saying that with college games now.
09:02I'm like, totally.
09:03These kids have it made.
09:04Well, the kid that hit the kid.
09:05Here we go.
09:06The kid that hit the game winner for Maryland the other night.
09:08Derek Queen.
09:09He's a freshman.
09:10Somehow he's 20.
09:11I thought he would have been 18, but he looks 12.
09:14Yes.
09:15He has braces.
09:16He's got a couple of pimples on his face.
09:17And so he started talking after the game.
09:19It's a true story.
09:20And they're like, Derek, you hit the game winner or whatever.
09:22And he starts talking.
09:23And it was like my son.
09:26He's four.
09:27And I thought about it.
09:28He is closer to my son's age than he is my age.
09:30Yeah.
09:31And I said, I looked over my wife.
09:32I'm like, this is just a boy.
09:34We're there, man.
09:35He's so young.
09:36We're there.
09:37Five minutes earlier.
09:38I'm just killing him.
09:39I'm like, get to the room, you moron.
09:40And then he starts talking.
09:41And I'm like, he's just a sweet boy.
09:44This is just someone's kid.
09:45Yes.
09:46All right.
09:47I got another one.
09:48All right.
09:49By the way, two career rushing yards for Treswell.
09:52I didn't hear it.
09:53Two career rushing yards.
09:55Almost fumbled.
09:56Next stop.
09:57Franchise record.
09:58Look out, Briggins and company.
10:00All right.
10:03776 career punts.
10:05Right.
10:06776.
10:08How many career tackles?
10:12And would there ever be, like, did you do kickoffs a couple times?
10:15Is there another reason where you could have made a tackle?
10:17Or is it just those 776 punts?
10:19Because I'm assuming they never lined you up at safety for a play.
10:22I've done it a couple of times when somebody's busted open on, like,
10:24a fade down the sideline.
10:26Or, like, when Saquon took off down the sideline,
10:28I thought maybe I could get on the not top 10 if I just smoke him when he's
10:31not looking.
10:32Do the Mike Tomlin thing where you, like, come out and trip him?
10:34Yeah.
10:35All right.
10:37The fun fact in there is one of those on Monday Night Football against
10:40Dallas, I got the Tostitos crunch of the game because I flipped Lucky
10:44Whitehead, like, upside down on a tackle.
10:47Let's go.
10:48Did you get anything?
10:49Like, a box of shipment of a bunch of Tostitos?
10:51Golden Tostitos.
10:52You know, something cool.
10:53It's a bag that no one's ever had.
10:54It's sealed just so.
10:56I'll shoot him an email.
10:57I'll do it for you.
10:58We've got people for that.
10:59All right.
11:00I'm going to go four.
11:03Nine.
11:04What?
11:05Nine career tackles for this guy.
11:07Look out.
11:08Oh, thank you.
11:09Man, the gallery here.
11:10London Fletcher.
11:11Yeah, everybody.
11:12I tell you.
11:13I mean, what is it, quadruple threat now?
11:14Run, pass, tackle, and punt.
11:16I can hold.
11:17That's true.
11:18Hold.
11:19All right, last one.
11:20This one I think you should know.
11:22Okay.
11:23How many Player of the Week awards have you won?
11:25Special Teams Player of the Week.
11:27All right.
11:31One in 19.
11:32No, one in 18, one in 19, two in 20, one in 23.
11:37I'm going five.
11:39Five is correct.
11:40The five times Special Teams Player of the Week.
11:44Do you know the fun fact on that?
11:45I do not.
11:46I have had better performances in games,
11:49but you have to win to get that award.
11:52Oh, no way.
11:53If Burrow goes out and throws for 450 and four tugs,
11:56if the Bengals lose, he doesn't get AFC Player of the Week.
11:59Is that a real thing?
12:00You have to win.
12:01That's very stupid.
12:02Your team has to win.
12:04That's really dumb.
12:05It's an individual award.
12:06I think technically like two or three of my best games,
12:09if you will, just averages and inside the 20s,
12:12like we lost by a field goal or something like that.
12:15So am I wrong in saying, statistically speaking,
12:18the thing that I would imagine you care a lot about is inside the 20.
12:23Percentage.
12:24Percentage.
12:25Yes.
12:26And then not touchbacks.
12:27Yeah.
12:28I mean, maybe your average, I don't know.
12:30But how could that matter?
12:32Because you don't know where you're trying to punt to.
12:34That's the biggest thing.
12:35The net average is what gets you into the Pro Bowl every year,
12:37but you're inside the 20 percentage will show just like.
12:42So my favorite place to punt from is from the minus 35 yard line,
12:45because you can just cut it loose for 50.
12:47All right.
12:48So remember this, guys.
12:49So that means the offense is around midfield.
12:51I have videos of my buddies, like filming me,
12:53like getting ready to punt.
12:54And like, it'll be one of the wives, like filming my buddy.
12:57And it's balls on the minus 36.
12:59This is a go zone.
13:00And it's just because I hit a touchback.
13:02Do you mean if you're standing there?
13:03Or do you mean when the offense is balls on the guy in the mid 30s,
13:06you can just, you can just say you want.
13:08You want a first down on like an 11 yard pass to McLaurin and then three
13:12straight runs for zero.
13:13And you're running out there.
13:15Here's the deal.
13:16I love to punt.
13:17I understand that we don't want to punt.
13:19You didn't like to do it very much this past year.
13:21That was crazy this year.
13:22Cliff was the bomb.
13:23He'd be like, how many times you pump this game?
13:26I was like, I had one.
13:27He's like, oh, that's my bad.
13:28I mean,
13:29we literally had to call him and have him on the show just to make sure he
13:31was still on the team.
13:32There was a couple of weeks where we just weren't sure.
13:34I was in the hotel in Arizona and we were talking.
13:36I was like, yeah,
13:37I'll have a pretzel and popcorn got a little slippery to hold.
13:39I got nervous.
13:40So yeah.
13:41No TV time for you this season.