ESPN's Maria Taylor receives support from colleagues after sharing hate message directed at family
ESPN’s Maria Taylor opened up on Monday about hate speech her family received in response to her criticism of Buffalo Bills backup quarterback Jake Fromm.
Fromm apologized in June after a private text message surfaced online showing Fromm writing that only “elite white people” should have access to guns. Fromm and Taylor were both student-athletes at Georgia, where Taylor played volleyball.
Taylor responded to Fromm’s text on ESPN’s “First Take” in June.
Taylor: It hurts to your core
"Every time [prejudice] is revealed, and it's someone say you love or you've enjoyed covering, it hurts to your core. It's a death by 1,000 razor cuts. And that's how I feel when I heard about Jake Fromm."
—@MariaTaylor pic.twitter.com/9c5yf9i0ky— First Take (@FirstTake) June 5, 2020
“As a Black person in America, you go throughout the day assuming that people are not racist or that they do not have prejudice in their body, because if we don’t we would be mad all the time,” Taylor said.
“And then every time it’s revealed and it’s someone that you love or enjoyed covering, it hurts to your core. It’s a death by a thousand razor cuts. That’s how I feel when I heard about Jake Fromm.”
Taylor: Family received hate message
With the return of college football, Taylor has been on ESPN airwaves covering the sport. A TV appearance apparently prompted a viewer to write a lengthy hate-filled message about Taylor that Taylor says was texted to her father, mother and brother.
Taylor shared the message that sympathizes with Fromm’s viewpoint on guns and race. She vowed to not let the hate speech scare her from doing her job.
(Warning: The text below contains hate speech and offensive language)
So to be clear texting my father, mother, and brother this hatred does NOT scare me and it will not keep me from doing my job. See you this weekend in Minnesota College Football Fans...I missed you!!! ❤️ pic.twitter.com/2oPue8GXD6
— Maria Taylor (@MariaTaylor) October 19, 2020
After Taylor posted the message, she received social media support from ESPN colleagues Elle Duncan and Shelley Smith.
When they go low you just keep going to work! pic.twitter.com/JayR7xuGr2
— Elle Duncan (@elleduncanESPN) October 19, 2020
Taylor’s previous response to sexist remarks
This is not the first time Taylor has responded publicly to racist or sexist commentary directed her way. In September, she called out former Chicago sports radio host Dan McNeil for tweeting that her sideline attire on “Monday Night Football” was better suited for an adult film awards show.
McNeil’s tweet cost him his job.
More from Yahoo Sports:
