Stanford fires coach Troy Taylor after report of bullying

Audio By Carbonatix

Enlarge

Stanford fired Troy Taylor on Tuesday, less than one week after an ESPN report outlined instances in which he had allegedly bullied and belittled female athletic staffers during his two seasons as the Cardinal’s football coach.

Former Stanford star quarterback Andrew Luck, now the program’s general manager, announced the move.

“After continued consideration it is evident to me that our program needs a reset,” Luck said in a statement. “In consultation with university leadership I no longer believe that Coach Taylor is the right coach to lead our football program. Coach Taylor has been informed today and the change is effective immediately.”

Luck said a search for the next coach has begun, and an acting coach may be named for the 2025 season.

Taylor, 56, received a warning by the university in February 2024, with ESPN reporting that he signed a letter acknowledging that he could be fired if the conduct continued.

A few months later, he was cited in second investigation for “an ongoing pattern of concerning behavior.”

“I willingly complied with the investigations, accepted the recommendations that came out of them, and used them as a learning opportunity to grow in leadership and how I interact with others,” Taylor said in a statement released through Stanford following ESPN’s report.

“I look forward to continuing to work collaboratively and collegially with my colleagues so that we can achieve success for our football program together.”

Under Taylor’s watch, Stanford posted consecutive 3-9 seasons.

Taylor built a 30-8 record over three seasons at Sacramento State before joining the Cardinal after David Shaw — the winningest head coach in school history — stepped down following the 2022 season.

Luck, who became the Stanford GM on Nov. 30, was with the Cardinal from 2008-11.

–Field Level Media