/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/60893393/usa_today_11077128.0.jpg)
The NFL’s biggest controversy isn’t over whether or not Dez Caught It, or the new helmet rule, or a Deflategate — it’s about how on earth you pronounce Tyrod Taylor’s name.
There are two sides to the NFL’s own “GIF” argument: TUH-rod, and TIE-rod.
I present both sides, and you can make your choice. Though it’s totally TIE-rod. I think?
THE ARGUMENT FOR TIE-ROD
Tyrod Taylor himself says TIE-rod here:
The great Mina Kimes dug in, and said that Taylor’s agent and dad call him TIE-rod:
Tyrod’s agent told me it was TY-Rod. His pops told me it was TY-Rod. I DONT KNOW WHAT TO BELIEVE https://t.co/RFHCPxt4Yh
— Mina Kimes (@minakimes) August 17, 2018
It’s also how he identified himself for NBC’s Sunday Night Football introductions:
Stop the madness! Ty is fine if you call him either. I asked him yesterday how he introduced himself on NBC Sunday Night Football and he said Ty-rod. So there you have it.
— Peter John-Baptiste (@BrownsPJB) August 17, 2018
THE ARGUMENT FOR TUH-ROD
The Browns are trying to police the situation, and have announced that they want people to say TUH-rod now:
BREAKING NEWS: #TyrodGate pic.twitter.com/XLPjnivRI5
— Marc Istook (@MarcIstook) August 17, 2018
Browns teammate Joel Bitonio told NFL Network’s Aditi Kinkhabwala that his name is TUH-rod, and the reason that hasn’t stuck is because Taylor is too nice (shy too, probably?) to correct anybody on it.
This is how good of a teammate LT Joel Bitonio is. He told me Tyrod Taylor’s name is actually pronounced TUH-rod, not TY-rod. And that while Taylor may be too nice to correct people, HE feels it’s important to get it right. From here on out, I will. #Browns
— Aditi Kinkhabwala (@AKinkhabwala) August 13, 2018
The strongest argument that either side has: his mom calls him “Tuh-rod.” But according to Taylor, she refers to him by his middle name, which is “Di’allo.”
WHY DON’T WE JUST ASK -ROD HIMSELF?
That doesn’t help, -rod.
No matter where you stand on said topic, we’re going to appropriately refer to this as #rodgate, because as my esteemed colleague Jessica Smetana has pointed out, if we call it #tyrodgate, then we’re also arguing the name of the gate.
If you have other arguments as to why we should call this man TUH-rod or TIE-rod, dish them in the comments. Let’s argue online.