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NFL commissioner struggles with Mariota’s name

ASSOCIATED PRESS
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell announces after the Tennessee Titans selected Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota as the second pick in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft, Thursday, April 30, 2015, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Winning a Heisman Trophy and playing in the national championship game should be enough for everyone to know how to pronounce Marcus Mariota’s name by now.

Well, almost everybody.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell struggled with the pronunciation Thursday when announcing Mariota as the No. 2 pick overall by the Tennessee Titans, going with "Mario-toe." It’s pronounced Mario-tah. Goodell also bobbled Oregon, going with Ora-gone.

Not that Mariota noticed.

"I didn’t even hear it because I was on the phone, but I’m sure my parents will talk to me about that later," said Mariota, who watched the draft at a party in his native Hawaii.

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