Kyler's Farewell Message: A Rhetorical Analysis

By Walter Mitchell





Kyler Murray
@K1
To everyone that supported me and showed kindness to my family and I during my time in AZ, from the bottom of my heart, thank you. I wanted nothing more than to be the one to end the 77 year drought for this organization, I am sorry I failed us. I wish this community and my brothers nothing but the best. I am no stranger to adversity, I am prepared for whatever’s next. I trust in God and my work ethic. I truly believe my best ball is in front of me and I look forward to proving it.

Rhetorical Analysis:

If I were still teaching AP English Language and Composition, today I would have asked the students to perform a rhetorical analysis of Kyler Murray's farewell message to his loyal fans in Arizona. 

For those of you who are intrigued by rhetorical analyses, this blog is made especially for you.

Let's start with the basics.

What is rhetoric?

Definitions from Oxford Languages
rhetoric




noun
  1. the art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing, especially the use of figures of speech and other compositional techniques.

* Note: In Greek "rhetor" means "speaker."

What is the rhetorical triangle?:


Speaker
Audience
Exigence (need/purpose)

What are the three rhetorical appeals?


1. Logos --- the appeal to reason and logic
2.. Ethos --- the appeal to credibility or authority
3, Pathos --- the appeal to emotion

Part 1:

"To everyone that supported me and showed kindness to my family and I during my time in AZ, from the bottom of my heart, thank you."

Speaker: Kyler Murray

Audience: His loyal fans

Purpose: To offer thanks

Commentary:

Kyler wants to make it clear that the fans he appreciates are the ones "who supported me and showed kindness to my family." Therefore, even in a farewell message Kyler splits the fan base into two parts: (1) his loyal fans; (2) his critics.

To his loyal fans he speaks from the bottom of his heart. To his critics?

Synopsis: My fidelity to you requires your unconditional love for me.

Part 2: I wanted nothing more than to be the one to end the 77 year drought for this organization, I am sorry I failed us. I wish this community and my brothers nothing but the best.

Speaker: Kyler Murray
Audience: Arizona community and teammates
Purpose: To offer a historical perspective, personal regret and extended well wishes.

Commentary:

Appeal to Logos (logic): Kyler makes an allusion to the Cardinals' 77-year championship drought. In essence, he is trying in imply how difficult it is to play for such a historically inept franchise. It is a logical premise. No question.

Appeal to Ethos (authority/credibility): He has been in the organization for 7 of those 77 years --- so he's been there, done that).

Appeal to Pathos (emotion): "I am sorry I have failed us." This is very forthcoming expression of regret that is apt to be received in different ways by a more inclusive audience. His stans will say, "No, the Cardinals failed you," And his critics will say "it's good that you finally take your fait share of blame."

Wishing the community and his "brothers" (teammates) "nothing but the best" is an effort to "let bygones be bygones." The curious syntax (order of words in a sentence) here, however, is how Kyler puts the community before his own teammates. By doing so, one may wonder whether Kyler has been feeling betrayed by some of his teammates. This goes back to the split in how Kyler views the people around him and the fans.

If I were one of the Kyler's teammates, I'd be dissed at how little attention he pays to his so-called "brothers". Who quit on whom?

Synopsis: I may have fallen short in Arizona, but the franchise, the community and my teammates didn't do me many favors.

Part 3 I am no stranger to adversity, I am prepared for whatever’s next. I trust in God and my work ethic. I truly believe my best ball is in front of me and I look forward to proving it.

Speaker: Kyler Murray

Audience: Prospective NFL teams

Purpose: To show how highly motivated, diligent and dedicated he is in playing his "best ball" for the next team.

Key term: "work ethic" --- some will say Kyler over the past couple of years has made strong strides in that regard, while others don't see it.

Synopsis: come get me, you're going to get my best.

Commentary:

This is a sales pitch. And it feels like this sales pitch was the main point for sending out the farewell message --- a message that draws attention to the Cardinals' historical ineptitude, an homage to the fans that were loyal to him and to how eager and dedicated he is to play his best football for a new team.

What's glaringly missing --- any real passionate focus and appreciation for his teammates --- and not a single word of thanks for any of his coaches or trainers (like Buddy Morris who spent so much time and effort helping Kyler rehab) during his seven years in the organization.

Synopsis of the whole message?

Your turn! Let's hear what you've got! What is your summary?










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