Tress Way: AthleteAnd Father
Ask Tress Way what matters most, and the answer comes easy.
"Family."
"I kind of have two doors in my life," Way said. "When I go to the facility and those sliding glass doors open, that's a big part of my life. Then when I come home and I walk through that garage door, that is the other door. I want to work just as hard—and even harder—whenever I walk through that door here."
That door opens to life with his wife, Bri, and their four children: twins Beau and Harper, younger daughter Hadley and their youngest son, Brooks.
"Our family dynamic is dynamic," Way said with a laugh. "It's always moving, it's always changing. But it definitely has a baseline of a lot of gratitude and a lot of fun."
Family has always been at the center of Way's life.
In 2024, he and Bri adopted Brooks after feeling called to adoption for years. Before Brooks was born, they learned he had a heart condition that would require surgery.
What was expected to be a scheduled procedure became an emergency operation during Washington's long playoff run that season.
While Brooks recovered in intensive care, Bri spent 17 consecutive nights sleeping by his side.
"When you go through those things as a couple and then with your son, that's a special thing," Way said. "A sad thing, but definitely created a bond."
Way's perspective on fatherhood was also shaped by his own dad, Leo, who passed away during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
"I miss him every day," Way said.
Way remembers his father as someone who cared deeply about others and understood the importance of making people feel valued. Those are lessons he carries with him today—as a teammate, a husband and a father.
"What I have learned from him, and especially how you make people feel, those are just values I'll take with me the rest of my life," Way said.
The loss changed how he views time with his children too. Whether it's playing Uno, coloring, wrestling with action figures or throwing a football around, Way makes it a point to be present.
"I'll just drop whatever I'm doing to do that," he said. "Those are the memories I have."
Today, he's creating those memories in another role he loves: coaching.
When Harper told her dad she wanted to play flag football—but only if he coached—the answer was easy. Way now coaches the team that both Harper and Beau play on, using the opportunity to teach lessons that go far beyond the game.
"You guys are going to have some great games, and you're going to have some bad games," Way tells them. "But the two things that you always have in your control is how hard you play and if you're a good teammate."
For Way, football has provided an incredible career. Fatherhood has provided something even greater.
"I am never going to regret the effort that I put into being a dad," Way said. "I will always regret that maybe I didn't do more."
The NFLPA joined Way for a day of family fun. You can watch the full video here.
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