Commanders Punter Gave Jersey Number To Jayden Daniels For Practically Nothing
LANDOVER, MD – JANUARY 07: Tress Way #5 of the Washington Commanders looks on during the second half of the game against the Dallas Cowboys at FedExField on January 7, 2024 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) Scott Taetsch/Getty Images
Washington Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels announced Thursday night he’ll be wearing his usual No. 5 to begin his NFL career.
In order to be able to wear the number, Daniels had to get longtime punter Tress Way to agree to surrender it.
The two-time Pro Bowler did so without any resistance, and apparently without much compensation either.
We’ve seen these types of jersey exchanges happen with fairly significant sums of money involved, but Way did not want any of that, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
“Commanders P Tress Way did not want a cash transaction from Jayden Daniels for the No. 5,” Schefter explained tonight. “Instead, as part of the exchange, when Way is done with his NFL career, Daniels plans to send Way and his family to an Oklahoma-LSU football game, presumably with good seats, per source.”
Way, 34, played for Oklahoma from 2008-12 before breaking into the NFL. The Sooners are now in the SEC with Daniels’ alma mater, LSU, and the two traditional powerhouses are slated to meet in Baton Rouge to close out the 2024 season on Nov. 30.
Daniels won the Heisman Trophy with the Tigers in 2023 before the Commanders made him the No. 2 overall pick in this year’s draft.
He shouldn’t have any issue getting seats to that OU-LSU game if Way wants to go, provided he can make it work with the Commanders’ regular season schedule.