Stanford football coach fired amid allegations of mistreatment, inappropriate conduct

STANFORD, Calif. - Stanford has fired its head football coach, less than a week after a report disclosed that he'd been the subject of investigations over allegations that he belittled and bullied female staffers and made inappropriate comments.  

Andrew Luck, general manager of Stanford's football program, made the announcement Tuesday about coach Troy Taylor.

SEE ALSO: Stanford head football coach investigated for bullying female staffers: report

ESPN reported last week that Taylor had been investigated twice since taking over before the 2023 season over allegations of hostile and aggressive behavior, as well as personal attacks against female staff members.

"I don’t fully understand what new information they got they didn’t already know; that led them to what most of us who were looking from the outside had already concluded. That this coach must go," said Shaun Fletcher, San Jose State Univ. Public Relations and Sports Communications professor. 

Luck's statement

What they're saying:

In a statement, Luck said it was evident that the program needed a "reset."

"I took the role of Stanford Football General Manager with a strong vision for building a new winning era for our football program. Stanford has always set the standard for excellence with our university’s unique leadership in both athletics and academics, and I have no doubt that our program’s best days lie ahead.

Since beginning my role as General Manager, I have been thoroughly assessing the entire Stanford football program. It has been clear that certain aspects of the program need change.            Additionally, in recent days, there has been significant attention to Stanford investigations in previous years related to Coach Taylor.

After continued consideration, it is evident to me that our program needs a reset. 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. A search for new coaching leadership in football has begun, and an acting coach may be named for the 2025 season. Our focus remains on supporting our student-athletes and ensuring they have the best possible experience on the field, in the classroom, and on campus with their peers.

I thank Coach Taylor for his contributions to our team and the hard work he put into the program. I wish him and his family well moving forward.

Stanford University is my home, and I am so excited to support our players in competing at the highest level and developing as young adults. We have powerful traditions, incredible student-athletes, and a vision for the future that demonstrates our strong potential as a program. This vision includes an emphasis on a positive, winning, and inclusive culture. I am confident that we will return Stanford to the top echelon of college football." - Andrew Luck, Stanford Football General Mgr. 

The Stanford Cardinal went 3-9 in each of Taylor’s two seasons as coach. Students on campus Tuesday weighed in. 

"I think it’s really interesting as to why it took the story to break before the coach had to be fired," said Faith Masong, a Stanford post-graduate student. 

"I feel like if there’s evidence supporting that, that’s definitely valid. I feel like in the workplace, it’s supposed to be a professional environment, and everyone is supposed to feel safe," said Sheena Lai, a Stanford student. 

"I’ve had some really amazing experiences with Stanford football, and I just hope we can continue to get more of that in the future," said Chase Joiner, a senior Stanford student.

The backstory:

In a statement to KTVU last week, a university spokesperson said Taylor had previously undergone additional training to correct his behavior.

"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." 

Stanford said Taylor, "has committed to nurturing the respectful working environment that is essential to the success of all our athletics programs." 

The Associated Press contributed to this report

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Stanford head football coach investigated for bullying female staffers: report

A report is out that shows Stanford's head football coach was investigated for bullying and belittling female staffers and made inappropriate comments.