The relationship between Joy Taylor and Fox Sports could be nearing its end.
According to Front Office Sports’ Michael McCarthy, the Fs1 host’s contract with the network is set to expire this summer.
While it’s unclear whether the two sides have been negotiating an extension, news of her contract status comes amid what’s already been a tumultuous year for Fox Sports and the host. In January, Taylor was named as a defendent in a workplace misconduct lawsuit that was filed by a former Fox Sports hairstylist named Noushin Faraji. The lawsuit accuses Taylor of mocking Faraji, who is Persian, based on her ethnicity and of having sexual relationships with Fox Sports executive Charlie Dixon and co-host Emmanuel Acho in order to further her career.
According to court records, settlement talks regarding the lawsuit remain ongoing. Meanwhile, Fox terminated Dixon, who was accused of sexual misconduct by both Faraji and former FS1 host Julie Stewart-Binks in a subsquent lawsuit, last week.
As for Taylor, she remained on the air as the host of FS1’s Speak in the aftermath of the lawsuit’s filing, but was “sidelined” from the show for two weeks for an undisclosed reason in late-February/early-March. The younger sister of Hall of Famer pass-rusher Jason Taylor recently relaunched her Two Personal podcast without former co-host Taylor Rooks, a move that could be viewed in a different light with the news of her impending free agency.
Should Joy Taylor ultimately make it to free agency, it would certainly be interesting to see what type of market takes shape.
On the one hand, she’s a talented and experienced personality who possesses versatility as both a host and someone who isn’t shy to share her opinion. Conversely, her free agency would be coming just months after a slew of negative headlines, although it’s also worth noting that she has also received plenty of public support.
Moving forward, it will be worth monitoring how Fox approaches Taylor’s contract situation, especially considering the ongoing lawsuit. Parting ways with the former Miami radio host could also prove to have a significant effect on FS1’s programming plans given her status as one of the network’s most prominent personalities.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.