Stanford football coach Troy Taylor mistreated female staff members and tried to have an NCAA compliance officer removed after she warned him of rules violations, according to documents obtained.
The documents, first obtained by ESPN, said more than 20 current and former staffers cooperated with the two investigations that included complaints against Taylor for what are described as hostile and aggressive behavior, as well as personal attacks.
NBC Bay Area has also obtained the documents of the investigations.
Both investigations determined that Taylor’s treatment of employees, particularly of women, was inconsistent with Stanford’s standards.
The second investigation concluded that Taylor retaliated against a compliance staffer who had found seven minor NCAA infractions by “seeking her removal from her assigned duties.”
The report said investigators had never encountered “this palpable level of animosity and disdain” for a university compliance office, according to ESPN.
Taylor signed a warning letter on Feb. 14, 2024, following the first investigation acknowledging he could be fired if the conduct continued, according to the documents. Additional complaints were documented in a second investigation that ended July 24, but Taylor remains on the job.
“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 by the school. “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 football coach Troy Taylor and Senior Athletic Director Matt Doyle mistreated female staff members and tried to have an NCAA compliance officer removed after she warned him of rules violations, according to documents obtained. More than 20 current and former staffers cooperated with the two investigations that included complaints against Taylor for what are described as hostile and aggressive behavior, as well as personal attacks. Both investigations determined that Taylor’s treatment of employees, particularly of women, was inconsistent with Stanford’s standards. NBC Bay Area's Raj Mathai spoke with Reporter Robert Handa to understand the situation.
Senior Athletic Director Matt Doyle was also named in the complaints, NBC Bay Area has learned.
Doyle, who's been with the university for 25 years, said he was made aware of the complaints against him and Taylor in 2023. He claims he took the complaints seriously and has completed compliance training.
"Stanford has had an unbelievable impact on my life," Doyle exclusively told NBC Bay Area. "I've been employed with the football program for 25 years and worked for six head coaches. I'm very proud of what our student-athletes have accomplished in the classroom and in the community. I'm a Bay Area native, and my earliest childhood memories were on the fields and courts around Stanford athletics."
A statement from a university spokesperson said, “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.”
Taylor is entering his third year as Stanford coach after back-to-back 3-9 seasons.
