Tress Way Is Done, and Washington's Most Reliable Phase Just Got a Lot Less Certain

Tress Way announced he's retiring at season's end, closing out a run in Washington that earned him three Pro Bowl selections. For a franchise that spent 2025 losing close games at a remarkable clip, Way was one of the few constants — a punter who could flip field position on a bad day and buy the defense a breath on a worse one. That kind of dependability is easy to take for granted until it's gone.

The Commanders brought in a replacement punter during camp while Way was sidelined with an injury, so the position isn't going into 2026 completely cold. But there's a difference between a camp body and a three-time Pro Bowler who's spent years learning the quirks of his own operation. Whoever takes over inherits a unit that will need to hold up in a season where the defense is already shorthanded — Tunsil on IR, Newton on IR, Amos out for Week 1 — and field position could matter more than usual.

It's a small item against everything else Washington is managing right now. But special teams transitions have a way of showing up in the standings, and this one is worth watching as the 2026 season gets underway.