Why did Bobby Wagner ask his family to call him 'Dr. Bobby' after Utah State commencement?

Bobby Wagner jokingly asked family members to call him 'Dr. Bobby' after receiving an honorary doctorate from Utah State University at commencement.

The Honorary Doctorate and Joke

Bobby Wagner received an honorary doctoral degree at Utah State University's 139th Commencement Ceremony on May 5, 2026. After accepting the honor, Wagner made a lighthearted announcement to the crowd: 'If you didn't know, my name is now Dr. Bobby Wagner. And to any family members here, you need to update my name in your phone. It's Dr. now. I will no longer respond to Bobby. It's Dr. only.' The announcement was delivered with humor and drew laughter from the audience of over 6,300 graduates.