Jayden Daniels Voices Heartfelt Thanks to Tress Way After Commanders’ Longest-Tenured Player ‘Passes on the Torch’ to Rookie QB

It is the end of an era for the Commanders. However, it is also time for a new beginning. Ever since the team drafted Jayden Daniels in this year’s NFL draft, there has been a lot of buzz around the rather confident quarterback. Now, weeks after the picks were made, it was revealed that Washington’s longest-tenured player would be giving the 23-year-old his beloved No. 5 jersey after a deal was struck between the teammates.

In a post on X, the Washington Commanders shared a clip on Daniels talking about the number switch with 4-time captain, Tress Way. The No. 2 overall draft pick told the media, “It’s significant not only to me but to him also.” He got a little emotional as he continued, “Him allowing me to wear it, it meant a lot that he was able to kinda pass it to me, pass the torch obviously with the agreements but he didn’t have to come off the number.”

After all, Way had played with the same number for the last 10 seasons. However, the 34-year-old had opted to get someone out of the switch for himself. He told Daniels that he would have to give up his college tickets, to which the quarterback eventually agreed. In the same clip, the 23-year-old stated that the exchange proved that the punter had his back, and that he was “excited” to be playing with the former Arizona star.

Although Way had eventually given Daniels the number, it was not an easy decision for the athlete. In fact, the 34-year-old had to mull it over for a while.

Tress Way opens up about the number swap

The Commanders also shared a clip of Tress Way opening up about the emotional number exchange. Although he eventually did what he thought was best for the team, the punter told the media that it took a lot of internal debating and even a talk with his wife, Brianna Turang. The 34-year-old stated that was the conversation that turned things around for him.

After talking to Turang, Way discovered a brand new perspective. It was about why the athlete had been named team captain for 4 seasons. That is when it struck him. The punter stated, “I just feel like there’s just so much excitement around this organization, hands down the most I have ever seen.” With all of the excitement continuing to build, the 34-year-old felt like “this is a… a very small part that I could do.”

With Way and the rest of the NFL and its fanbase looking ahead to the future, it puts a lot of pressure on newly drafted players like Jayden Daniels and his soon-to-be rivals, Drake Maye, Caleb Williams, JJ McCarthy, and more. However, fans will get to see how they fare once the season kicks off.

So far, Way has not chosen a new number. Although it has been revealed that the punter is weighing all his options before making his decision. After all, it could be the number of the captain of the Commanders later this year.