Tyler Shough is quickly making a name for himself in his second NFL season as quarterback of the New Orleans Saints.
That means that football fans everywhere are learning that his last name isn’t pronounced quite the way you’d think. If you hear an announcer saying “shuck” after Tyler, that’s not wrong. It’s just an unusual pronunciation.
The Saints play on Monday Night Football against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 4, so lots of eyes will be watching — and ears will be listening.
Here’s what you need to know.
How Do You Say Tyler Shough’s Last Name?
Tyler Shough’s last name is pronounced like “shuck.”
It doesn’t rhyme with other words, like cough, that end with the same spelling.
It instead rhymes with words like duck and luck.
Why is Shough pronounced ‘schuck’?
Shough was asked about the correct way to say his last name soon after he was drafted, so he has provided the football world with a legitimate explanation.
“It’s literally impossible to pronounce it if you don’t know it,” Shough told Sports Illustrated. “It’s all good.”
Shough pointed to the roots of the name:
“It should be Shuck, but it’s European, Scottish—I don’t know. It’s hard to learn or hard to say, but once you learn it, it’s pretty easy.”
The Scottish origin gives the “-gh” ending more of a guttaral sound, like a “-ch” or “-ck.”
So there you have it. The Saints are hoping for some good Shough luck this season — and yep, that rhymes.
Tyler Shough Age
One notable fact about Shough beyond that last name is his age.
He turned 27 years old on Sept. 28, having been born in 1999.
He was the oldest QB in the 2025 NFL Draft class.
He’s actually older than his backup, Spencer Rattler, who was drafted a year earlier than him.
Shough spent time in college as Justin Herbert’s backup at Oregon. That’s how long he was around in the NCAA.
Injuries kept Shough in college, and he played at Oregon, Texas Tech and Louisville before being drafted.
His arm talent and athletic ability were never in question, though. By his final college season, Shough proved everything he could do.
It was enough to get him a second-round nod from the Saints. Now it’s up to Shough to make a name for himself in the NFL — and if he can do it, everyone will soon know the proper way to say his last name.
Why Tyler Shough’s Last Name is Pronounced Like ‘Shuck’