Report: Stanford coach Troy Taylor accused of bullying, belittling female staffers

Stanford coach Troy Taylor came under investigation after being accused of bullying and belittling female staffers, ESPN’s Xaun Thai reported. Taylor allegedly made “inappropriate” comments to another woman about her appearance and tried to have an NCAA compliance officer removed after being warned of potential rules violations.

In Feb. 2024, following the first investigation, Taylor signed a warning letter that acknowledged he could be fired if his conduct continued, ESPN reported. Documents showed a second investigation ended in July 2024.

According to ESPN, multiple Stanford employees filed complaints against Taylor for allegedly “hostile and aggressive behavior” and personal attacks, and the school brought in KWP Consulting and Mediation to investigate in Spring 2023. The second investigation – which was in June and July 2023 – citing evidence that said “this is an ongoing pattern of concerning behavior by Coach Taylor.”

Timothy O’Brien, who ran the second investigation, said his report he saw a “palpable level of animosity and disdain” for a compliance office that he had never seen before. He also said Taylor was “forceful and aggressive” during their interview.

From 2022-24, O’Brien cited seven Level III violations, which are considered the most minor according to NCAA rules. One source who spoke with ESPN called Taylor an “equal opportunity a-hole” and he targeted his behavior toward women. In his report, O’Brien said, “while being a head football coach is a stressful role, I do not find any excuse for Coach Taylor’s treatment” of women in the inquiries.

Taylor, in a statement released through Stanford, said he complied with the investigations. He also said he is taking the “recommendations that came out of them” as a “learning opportunity.”

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

Stanford also released a separate statement about the situation. The school confirmed a third party led the investigation, and Taylor received “coaching” as the university took “appropriate measures.”

“Stanford believes in upholding the highest standards of behavior in the workplace,” the statement read. “The University received complaints regarding Coach Taylor and a third party investigated the matter thoroughly. Last summer, the University took appropriate measures, Coach Taylor received coaching, and he has committed to nurturing the respectful working environment that is essential to the success of all our athletics programs.”

Troy Taylor took over at Stanford in 2023 following a successful run at Sacramento State. He has a 6-14 overall record with the Cardinal and helped make the jump to the ACC in 2024.