Way attended the
University of Oklahoma and redshirted his freshman season with the
Oklahoma Sooners football team.[3] He then played in 53 games from the 2009 to 2012 seasons. Way averaged 44.0 yards per punt with a career long of 85. Way switched to punter after an unsuccessful stint at kicker. Of Way's 250 punts, 91 went inside the 20, 71 were for 50 or more yards, and 36 were touchbacks.[1] Way completed his bachelor's degree at Oklahoma in interdisciplinary studies in December 2012.[4][1]
He re-signed with the Bears for the 2014 offseason, but he was waived again after losing out to rookie
Pat O'Donnell on August 18, 2014.[6]
Washington Redskins / Football Team / Commanders
The
Washington Redskins claimed Way off waivers on August 20, 2014.[7] In his first preseason game with the team, he recorded an average of 45.3 yards off of four punts.[8] He became their starting punter for the
2014 season following the release of
Robert Malone. For the 2014 season, Way led the NFL in gross punting average with 47.5 yards.[9] He finished his rookie season with 77 punts with a 47.52 average.[10]
At the start of the
2015 season, Way was voted as the team's
special teams captain.[11] Overall, he finished the 2015 season with 70 punts for a 46.6 average.[12]
On March 4, 2016, the Redskins extended a tender to Way.[13] The Redskins later signed him to a five-year contract extension on March 12.[14] He finished the 2016 season with 49 punts for a 45.08 average.[15]
In the 2017 season, Way finished with 83 punts for a 45.7 average.[16]
In Week 10 of the 2018 season, Way punted five times for a net average of 47.8, downing four punts inside the 20-yard line, in a 16–3 win over the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers, earning him
National Football Conference (NFC) Special Teams Player of the Week.[17] Overall, Way finished the 2018 season with 79 punts for a 45.33 average.[18]
In Week 13 of the 2019 season, Way hit two of his five punts inside the 20 with an average of 58 yards per punt and a long of 79 yards in a 29–21 win over the
Carolina Panthers, earning NFC Special Teams Player of the Week.[19] For his performance in 2019, Way was voted to the
2020 Pro Bowl, as well as being named second-team
All-Pro.[20][21] On December 27, 2019, Way signed a four-year, $15 million contract extension.[22] He finished the 2019 season with 79 punts for a 49.61 average.[23] In the 2019 season, he led the NFL in yards per punt. In addition, he recorded the longest punt of the 2019 season with a 79-yarder.[24] He was named to the Pro Bowl for the first time.[25]
In Week 11 of the 2020 season against the
Cincinnati Bengals, Way punted five times with a gross average of 50.4 yards while landing three of them inside the 20 during the 20–9 win, later earning the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week award.[26]
In Week 14 against the
San Francisco 49ers, Way averaged 49.8 yards on 8 punts during the 23–15 win.
Way was named the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance in Week 14.[27] In the 2020 season, Way appeared in all 16 games. He recorded 73 total punts for a 48.00 average.[28]
In the 2021 season, Way played in 16 games. He recorded 60 total punts for a 48.35 average.[29]
Way was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Month for October 2022.[30] In the 2022 season, Way recorded 83 punts with a 46.81 average.[31] In December 2022, Way was voted into the
2023 Pro Bowl.[32]
Way was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week in Week 9 of the 2023 NFL season after placing four of his five punts inside the 20-yard line in a 20–17 win over the
New England Patriots.[33]
NFL statistics
Year
Tm
G
Pnt
Yds
Y/P
2014
WAS
16
77
3,659
47.5
2015
WAS
16
70
3,224
46.1
2016
WAS
16
49
2,209
45.1
2017
WAS
16
83
3,794
45.7
2018
WAS
16
79
3,581
45.3
2019
WAS
16
79
3,919
49.6
2020
WAS
16
73
3,504
48.0
2021
WAS
16
60
2,901
48.4
2022
WAS
17
83
3,885
46.8
2023
WAS
17
73
3,361
46.0
Career
162
726
34,037
46.9
Personal life
In 2013, Way married Brianna Turang, a softball and soccer player at the University of Oklahoma and daughter of former Major League Baseball outfielder
Brian Turang.[34][35][36] Way is a
Christian.[37]