Tress Way owes Grant & Danny a date for some chicken wings and beverages – ‘the sooner the better’ he told the guys as Commanders offseason activities get going – but whenever it happens, he’ll have a new number.
That’s because he indeed gave up his No. 5 to Jayden Daniels – a trade he told G&D was something he actually first thought about way back on draft night.
“I was asked to do a fun draft night deal at DC Prime – a lot of people asked what was going on, and I said man, I’m just here on fourth downs, I have no inside scoop!” Way laughed. “One of my best friends is a big LSU fan and told me Daniels wore No. 5, and when we took him, everybody was hooting and hollering and couldn’t be more excited. In the back of my mind I wondered if he’d even ask, but I wasn’t gonna reach out, so I figured we’ll see how it goes. I know how nervous he was, but he texted me and could not have been cooler – he was very complimentary, and just asked if I’d even be willing to talk about it. I was very impressed by how humble he is.”
And as you may have heard in the video posted on Commanders social media, it was difficult for Way to do it based on internal factors – but he had a moment of clarity after first saying no, and here’s the entire long story:
“It’s so crazy for me – I came in my rookie year and did a book reading for our charity and saw a kid in a No. 5 jersey, and later saw it was a McNabb! But now years go by, and people people actually have a Way a No. 5 jersey and it’s surreal,” he said. “As long as I’ve played, it just continues to get easier for me to have more gratitude. I didn’t know if I’d even play in the NFL, but when they picked me up on waivers, I felt selected, and I think about things that are important in my life – who I want to be and how I want to be remembered, and how people I love think of me. My wife and I talked, and the excitement around our franchise right now these last 12 months, this is just the best thing I’ve ever been a part of. I said if I do this, it’s just so small, but I’m adding to the snowball, and I felt like it was right.”
So initially, Way told Daniels he’d have to think about it when Jayden reached out, and came back with a no shortly after – and that’s when his conscience, in a manner, kicked in.
“I said thanks for asking but I need a few days to think about it, and I circled back and sent him a big long message that I almost couldn’t send – and when I went to the facility the next day and a few teammates asked me about it, when I told them I said no, I didn’t feel very good, so I had a complete change of heart,” Way said. “I asked him to talk, and not pressing in any way, he told me about how much it would mean to him, and I’m so glad he did that – he shared what mattered to him. Looking back, because I actually said no, and then he came back with that, you could tell how excited he was. He was so humble, and I knew it was obvious I had to do it. I definitely want to be remembered for dropping as many punts inside the 20 as imaginable, but just things like this, how I try to live and care about people, is important. It’s a freakin’ number, but it was tough – the tears were there! – but I felt so much lighter on my feet after I said yes. He asked me to talk this week at the facility, and we got to sit and talk for 30 or 40 minutes, and I’m so glad we did. It was very cool and I’m very thankful.”
As Way noted, that’s what the captain’s C he’s worn on his chest is all about…and for him, the number exchange wasn’t all about getting a sweet reward as it is for some – but he did get a little something.
“My street cred has gone up due to Adam Schefter’s Tweet – now I’ve made it!” Way laughed. “But Jayden is hooking us up with some very suite seats, pun intended, for an Oklahoma-LSU game in Baton Rouge, date TBD because we’re a little busy in the fall; it’ll have to wait, but I’m looking forward to it.”
That’s not all though, as Daniels is also helping Way make some memories for both his family AND the fans.
“I didn’t want to do any sort of cash dal, I don’t like the way that looks. I wanted memories where I can send him a pic,” Way said. “I asked him to put my family in very good seats this year at Commanders home games, and for some specific resort style vacation, so he hooked us up with a few of those,” Way said. “And, Jayden is getting my family some new custom gear with whatever my new number is – and through Fanatics, we’re gonna ask people to send in pics with a Way jersey on, and he will go and get them new jerseys, which I’ll sign and send it out. That’s what’s important for me and my family.”
So what will that new number be? Way prefers a single digit number – both his wife and brother-in-law, Brice Turang of the Brewers, have been No.
2, but he called current No. 2 Dyami Brown ‘one of my good buddies and favorite gunners’ so he won’t ask – but it’s coming soon.
“We go back Monday and have a practice Tuesday, so I probably have to give them an answer by then,” he laughed. “I want to talk to Clelin (Farrell) about 99 – I love hockey and all those Chase Young jerseys become Way jerseys, which would be cool – but Adam Peters and DQ couldn’t have been cooler about all this. They told me I can just pick a number for camp and finalize it in September…maybe I’ll go with my wife’s idea of a question mark! But whatever it is, I want it to be cool and meaningful.”
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