Maria Taylor found herself in the midst of a controversy just a couple of weeks ago after a clip of Rachel Nichols making disparaging remarks about her was revealed online. In these comments, Nichols claimed that Taylor got her job at ESPN as a result of diversity quotas and that she didn't deserve to be taking Nichols' spot. These remarks came with quite a bit of outrage and rightfully so especially considering Taylor has proven herself to be one of the more talented hosts at the network.
One of the key elements to the story was the fact that Taylor was negotiating a new contract with ESPN. Reports surfaced that she wanted Stephen A. Smith money, which eventually led to her leaving the network. It was quickly revealed that Taylor would be joining NBC Sports and would get to be a part of football and Olympic broadcasts.
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Yesterday, NBC Sports introduced Taylor to its Olympic audience, and she made her mark right away as she presented a long-form piece on the United States women's gymnastics team. The host was introduced by Mike Tirico, who said “We are thrilled to welcome a new member to our NBC sports and Olympic family: Maria Taylor. Maria, welcome to Tokyo and the team.”
According to the New York Times, Taylor expressed just how excited she is about the opportunity, saying "Literally, hosting the Olympics, ‘Football Night in America,’ and the Super Bowl is what I dreamed of when I started in television."
Needless to say, it seems as though she is happy to have escaped the toxicity of ESPN.
