Justin Tyler McElroy was born in 1980 in Huntington, West Virginia, USA, to Clint McElroy, a renowned radio host, and his wife Leslie. As the eldest of three brothers, he grew up surrounded by a family of creatives, with younger siblings Travis and Griffin McElroy, also involved in the entertainment industry.
McElroy's educational background includes a stint at Marshall University, where he likely honed his writing and reporting skills. In 2005, he began his career as a reporter for the Ironton Tribune, covering local news and stories. Two years later, he transitioned to game journalism, working for Joystiq until 2012.
In 2007, McElroy co-founded Polygon with his brother Griffin and Christopher Grant, cementing his position as a respected figure in the gaming journalism community. However, his true passion project emerged in 2010, when he, along with his brothers, launched the comedy advice podcast My Brother, My Brother, and Me.
The podcast's immense popularity led to the creation of other successful shows, including Sawbones: A Marital Tour of Misguided Medicine, a medical history podcast co-hosted with his wife, Sydnee McElroy, and The Adventure Zone, a Dungeons and Dragons actual play podcast featuring himself, his brothers, and their father, Clint McElroy.
As his podcasting career continued to thrive, McElroy made the decision to leave Polygon in 2018, opting to focus on his family and his growing podcasting empire. Despite this, he still makes appearances as a voice actor in various projects.
In his personal life, McElroy is married to Sydnee McElroy and they have two children together, Charlie Gail McElroy and Cooper Renee McElroy. The family resides in their hometown of Huntington, West Virginia, where they continue to create and entertain audiences around the world.