Stanford Football Coach Troy Taylor Files Lawsuit Against ESPN Over Alleged Female Harassment Report
Former Stanford Football Coach Sues ESPN and Reporter Over Defamation Allegations
In a move that has sent shockwaves through the sports world, Troy Taylor, the former head coach of Stanford's football team, has filed a defamation lawsuit against ESPN and reporter Xuan Thai. The lawsuit, filed in July 2025, alleges that the network knowingly published false and damaging information about Taylor, which led to his firing from Stanford[1][2].
The lawsuit centers around an ESPN article published on March 19, 2025, titled "Reports find Stanford’s Taylor bullied, belittled female staffers." The article detailed two investigations into Taylor's behavior, conducted by a third-party firm, which found that Taylor had violated school standards and acted inappropriately, particularly in a hostile manner towards female staff[1]. However, the investigations did not result in any formal disciplinary action against Taylor[1].
Taylor's lawsuit argues that these findings were misrepresented, with the article portraying him as a "misogynistic bully" to paint him in a negative light[1][2]. The lawsuit contends that these allegations were false and that the reporter, Xuan Thai, intentionally twisted the facts to harm Taylor's reputation and pressure Stanford to dismiss him[1].
The lawsuit was filed six days after Stanford fired Taylor, who finished his tenure with a 6-18 record over two seasons[2]. Stanford's general manager, Andrew Luck, stated that the firing was due to a needed "reset" of the program, without directly linking it to the ESPN report[2]. Taylor’s lawsuit targets ESPN’s narrative and the journalist’s reporting as defamatory and damaging to his coaching career[1][2].
The initial investigation by Stanford was initiated after a single employee complaint, and further investigations were conducted in 2023 and 2024[1]. A follow-up story was published a month after Taylor's firing[1]. As of mid-August 2025, no public information on the lawsuit’s resolution or outcome is available[1][2][3]. Both ESPN and Stanford have declined to comment on the lawsuit, and the reporter did not respond immediately[1].
Prior to his stint with Stanford, Taylor led the FCS program Sacramento State to playoff appearances in each of his three seasons[1]. David Luck, a Stanford legend and two-time Heisman Trophy runner-up, was hired as the program's general manager in November 2024, before the ESPN's initial report on Taylor dropped[2]. In March, Luck stated that certain aspects of the program needed change and that Stanford investigations related to Coach Taylor in previous years required a reset[2].
The Athletic previously reported that Luck was allegedly privy to some details surrounding the Taylor matter before accepting the job, but did not take any action until the ESPN story was published[1]. The details of this claim remain unconfirmed.
[1] - [News Source 1] [2] - [News Source 2] [3] - [News Source 3]
- The defamation lawsuit by Troy Taylor, the former Stanford football coach, alleges that ESPN and reporter Xuan Thai intentionally published false information about him, claiming he was a misogynistic bully, which led to his firing.
- The sports world has been stirred by the general-news story about the ongoing defamation case between Troy Taylor and ESPN, stemming from an article published about his behavior towards female staffers at Stanford.
- Taylor, who had a successful stint leading the FCS program Sacramento State to playoff appearances, is suing ESPN and journalist Xuan Thai over the damage done to his coaching career by the crime-and-justice focused article.
- While Stanford's general manager, Andrew Luck, mentioned the need for a reset of the football program after firing Taylor, the lawsuit targets ESPN’s narrative and the journalist’s reporting as defamatory, particularly in the reporting and analysis of NCAA football and American football.
