ESPN found itself in the hot seat once again on Monday night, but this time it wasn't about the game itself. Before the Atlanta Falcons took on the New Orleans Saints in an NFC South showdown, the network's graphics team posted a promotional graphic for Saints quarterback Tyler Shough that had fans scratching their heads — and not for the reasons you'd expect.
The graphic, which was shared ahead of the Week 4 matchup, featured a photo of Shough with the caption "SHOUGH FLOW." It was meant to hype up the young quarterback's performance this season, but the problem? His last name isn't pronounced "Show" — it's "Shuck." The error didn't go unnoticed, and the internet, as always, had plenty to say.
Barstool Sports' T-Bob Hebert was among the first to call out the mistake, tweeting, "I don't think the person that made this graphic knows how to pronounce Shough's last name." That sentiment was echoed by fans across social media, with one user writing, "ESPN hires someone who doesn’t know players names. What an embarrassing company." Another added, "Learn how to pronounce an NFL QB’s name before posting things like this," while a third simply said, "Perfect representation on how bad ESPN is these days."
The backlash comes at a time when ESPN has already faced criticism for similar missteps, including a recent misleading Caitlin Clark headline that drew widespread scorn. It seems the network's production team is struggling to get even the basics right, and fans are losing patience.
On the field, though, Shough has been anything but a mistake. The second-year signal-caller has been a bright spot for the Saints, who entered the game with a 1-2 record but plenty of optimism. Shough is completing 68.9% of his passes for 917 yards, with eight touchdowns and just three interceptions. He's shown a real connection with receivers Chris Olave and Juwan Johnson, and if that chemistry continues, the Saints' offense could be a problem for the rest of the NFC.
But first, New Orleans had to prove it could beat its division rivals. And for ESPN, the focus was on getting the pronunciation right — a lesson the network likely won't forget anytime soon.
This isn't the first time a network has stumbled over a player's name, but it's a reminder that even the smallest details matter to fans. As the Saints push forward, they'll hope the noise off the field doesn't distract from the promise Shough has shown under center.
