The Stanford football program, more specifically head coach Troy Taylor, was reportedly the focus of two separate investigations that centered around the football coach bullying and belittling female staffers within the athletic department.
According to reporting and documents obtained by ESPN, Troy Taylor was the focus of two different investigations led by outside law firms, looking into accusations that the coach made ‘inappropriate’ comments about a female’s appearance, along with also trying to have a compliance office fired after being warned that he was violating multiple NCAA rules.
The report from ESPN states that the first investigation into Troy Taylor led to him having to sign a letter of warning on February 14 of 2024. The document signed is just as you would imagine, stating that if he did not change his conduct, he could be fired from his job at Stanford.
The first investigation into Taylor started after ‘multiple employees’ filed complaints with the school saying that they were the recipients of aggressive and hostile behavior from the head coach, along with personal attacks. The investigation started in the Spring of 2023, according to ESPN.
But, that wasn’t reportedly the last time the school would have to hire an outside firm to investigate the football coach. A second investigation was launched last summer by a different firm that handled the first, who ESPN says was Timothy O’Brien, who is senior counsel for ‘Libby, O’Brien, Kingsley & Chapman law firm’, which is based out of Maine.
In relation to the previously mentioned compliance office, ESPN reports that the report from Timothy O’Brien stated that he had never seen ‘this palpable level of animosity and disdain’ for an office whose job is to keep the athletic programs out of trouble with the NCAA.
It should be noted that compliance officers are employed by schools to make sure rules are being followed, and if there is a problem, they will work with a specific athletic program to help mediate the situation to the best of their ability.
“In addition to finding the football culture at Stanford “not welcoming to women,” Patterson wrote that the program was not “welcoming to anyone … who cannot dedicate unrestricted time to the program” regardless of gender.”- ESPN
You can read the full report by ESPN here.
In the investigation, it was reported that lawyer Kate Weaver Patterson wrote in her report that multiple staffers “complained of Taylor repeatedly having “made inappropriate comments” about a female staffer’s “appearance, smell, and interest in football,” according to the report. In a follow-up, Patterson wrote that Troy Taylor was caught off-guard that his comments were inappropriate and vowed to learn from the perceived mistakes, which the attorney agreed with.
Head coach Troy Taylor (L) of the Stanford Cardinal. (Photo by Lance King/Getty Images)
Stanford, Troy Taylor Release Statements Regarding Investigations
In a statement provided to the outlet, a Stanford spokesperson said that Troy Taylor received ‘coaching’ and committed to working on restoring a respectful working environment.
“Stanford believes in upholding the highest standards of behavior in the workplace. 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.”
Also, according to the documents obtained by ESPN, attorney Timothy O’Brien noted that Troy Taylor’s treatment of the compliance officer who filed the complaint was ‘inappropriate, discriminatory on the basis of her sex’, also noting that the treatment had a ‘significant negative impact’ on that specific staffer.
BERKELEY, Calif. – Head coach Troy Taylor of the Stanford Cardinal talks to his staff against the California Golden Bears in the third quarter at California Memorial Stadium on November 23, 2024. (Photo by Eakin Howard/Getty Images)
Following the notice of NCAA violations committed by the football program, Troy Taylor reportedly tried to have the staffer removed from her position. In the investigation, it was reported that the Stanford coach thought he was being targeted by the compliance department, but that the investigation did not support his claims.
The football coach himself released a statement through the university regarding the investigations and outcomes.
“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. “I look forward to continuing to work collaboratively and collegially with my colleagues so that we can achieve success for our football program together.”
It should also be noted the accusers said that Taylor was ‘hostile and aggressive’ during conversations, and that attorney Timothy O’Brien, who investigated the second batch of accusations, said that Taylor was continuing to exhibit the same behavior that warranted the first warning he signed last year.
Troy Taylor is now entering his third season as the Stanford head coach, with consecutive 3-9 records over the past two seasons.
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