Quick Facts:
| Full Name | Suzette Maria Taylor |
| Birth Date | May 12, 1987 |
| Birth Place | Alpharetta, Georgia, U.S. |
| Nick Name | Maria |
| Religion | Undefined |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | Black |
| Education | Centennial High School; University of Georgia |
| Horoscope | Taurus |
| Father’s Name | Steve Taylor |
| Mother’s Name | Suzette Taylor |
| Siblings | None |
| Age | 35 Years Old |
| Height | 6’2″ (1.88 m) |
| Weight | 60 kg (132 lb) |
| Hair Color | Black |
| Eye Color | Black |
| Body Measurement | 36-24-36 inches |
| Figure | Hourglass |
| Married | Yes |
| Husband | Rodney Blackstock |
| Children | None |
| Profession | Sports Analyst, Host |
| Net Worth | $2 million |
| Salary | $87,885 |
| Affiliations | ESPN, SEC Network |
| Active Since | 2009 |
| Social Media | Instagram, Twitter, Facebook |
| Merch | Mic |
| Last Update | July, 2022 |
Many women of African-American origin are breaking ground in journalism. Following in the passage forged by the ones before her, Maria Taylor is one such journalist who currently works for NBC Sports.
Being a woman is an arduous task. Moreover, what women face on a day-to-day basis is something men don’t and really never will.
Add a woman of color, and the story is even more adverse. The situation seems to change drastically in recent years.
With more and more diversity emerging in every field in the present times, journalism is one such occupation that is teeming with diversity and is flourishing well.
Likewise, Maria Taylor, a young sideline reporter, is someone to look out for in the coming times. Indeed, this article discusses the life of the reporter hailing from Georgia (U.S.).
Added to that, we will dive into her early years, body measurements, career, net worth, and current relationship status. So stick around and enjoy the read!
Wiki-Bio | Early Life, Education, & Parents | Maria Taylor
Suzette Maria Taylor, also known as Maria Taylor in the workplace, is a native of Alpharetta, Georgia, and the daughter of Suzette and Steve Taylor.
She was also allegedly the Taylor family’s sole child and was born on May 12, 1987. The fact that the analyst is a proud lady of African-American origin and an American citizen is also clear.
Taylor also went to Centennial High School and has always loved sports with a passion. Maria made sure to pursue her interests after being accepted to Centennial and was fairly successful in doing so.
The African-American has a collection of awards and recognitions to prove that she was an expert in the field.
Like instance, Taylor has won awards for Fulton County Scholar-Athlete of the Year, Atlanta Tip-Off Team of the Year, and three-time All-Region selection. She also won the Offensive MVP award in high school and an All-State honor during her senior year.
Maria was a member of the USA Volleyball Junior National A2 Team in 2004 as a result of her great athletic accomplishments.
These successes eventually assisted her in obtaining a graduate position at the University of Georgia on an athletic scholarship.
Similarly, the Alpharetta native continued to play basketball and volleyball during her time at the university and continued to be a member of the All-SEC volleyball team.
Taylor continued to play for the US Volleyball Junior A2 squad while attending college.
In a same vein, as her time in college drew to a close, Maria finished fourth in both the total amount of points scored (2020) and career kills (1729).
Despite not choosing a professional career, the Georgian’s love of sports led her to become an analyst, which is perhaps why the reporter is so succinct and well-spoken.
Age, height, and body measurements of Maria Taylor
She is currently 35 years old, having been born in 1987. Since they have relevant work experience through internships and college opportunities, journalists are often thought to be at their best around the age of 35.
A reporter in their prime has the capacity, desire, passion, and hunger to establish and solidify their position within the network or build the basis for future jobs. Everything depends on a person’s enthusiasm and communication abilities.
Moving on, Maria is a fairly tall woman who stands at 6’2″ (1.88 m) tall, easily towering above her coworkers.
It makes perfect sense that she played collegiate basketball and volleyball given her extraordinary height.
Similar to this, the sports analyst is a healthy 132 lb (60 kg) and has measurements of 36 inches for the breast, 24 inches for the waist, and 36 inches for the hips. The Georgian obviously fits the hourglass description.
Occupational Title: Sports Analyst
Maria was a reporter for the IMG College during her college years before she got a significant job.
The soon-to-be sportscaster appeared as a guest on SEC Men’s Basketball Tonight, Sports Nite, and Dawg Report multiple times in the meantime.
Taylor also reported on the Orange Bowl and Saturday night primetime college football show for ESPN2, doing so for two years in a row. In addition, the native of Alpharetta worked as a basketball analyst for NCAA exhibitions and competitions.
After handling everything that was given to her, Maria gained notoriety and was sought after by numerous broadcasting firms. Furthermore, she was hired as a college football reporter by SEC Network in 2014 after earning their business.
Along with Jesse Palmer and Brent Musburger, Taylor performed her hosting duties with the utmost grace. She then had the chance to step in as an analyst in other segments, most notably the ones for women’s basketball and volleyball.
Instead, the Georgia-based sportscaster decided to replace Samantha Ponder as a reporter and anchor for ESPN’s College Gameday section in 2014.
Taylor covered the postseason games between the universities of Georgia and Oklahoma at the same time.
She was given the hosting responsibilities for the College Football Playoff National Championship between Georgia and Alabama Universities by the network in 2018.
In addition to these, Taylor enjoys working for the ABC network as a sideline reporter who works with Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit to cover Saturday Night Football games.
Maria Taylor is a professional because of what?
Sportscastering is not an easy profession, but Maria Taylor really makes it look that way. When I say that, the 2018 Nick Saban, Maria Taylor interview makes it abundantly evident.
To give an example, Maria had an interview with coach Nick Saban as she was covering Alabama’s 51-14 victory against Louisville. Maria had questioned Saban on his quarterbacks Jalen Hurts and Tua Tagovailoa as the interview went on.
Nevertheless, Saban’s vehement retort threw discomfort onto the broadcast.
Even though Taylor answered the other questions quickly and cheerfully while displaying elegance, that one moment and the subsequent few minutes of conversation made Nick Saban feel disgusted. Eventually, Nick received criticism once the word spread.
Overall, Nick Saban did apologise to Taylor for his actions. Taylor reportedly said she was okay with it when she appeared on “The Paul Finebaum Show.”
Since I started playing AAU basketball when I was 12 years old, coaches have yelled at me. You get what I’m saying? I’ve been referred to as anything and everything by every coach imaginable. It didn’t really have that much of an impact on me. I am aware that sometimes coaches become agitated and that they may avoid certain topics. You are in the line of fire as a sideline reporter, and I was just shot once. And it’s all right. Even before I left the stadium for the highway, I got a call from Saban. He was really adamant about getting the apology out there. And for that, I owe him a debt of gratitude and respect.
– M. Taylor
Maria Taylor’s earnings and net worth
In fact, Maria has been a reporter for more than ten years and has astonishingly built up an impressive $2 million in net worth throughout this time. The ESPN sportscaster who is African-American most certainly made a good living because she worked there throughout her career.
As a result, sources claimed that Taylor earns an average yearly salary of $87,885.
Additionally, her pay was significantly increased upon contract renewal, indicating that in a few years, her net worth will likely increase. Additionally, she may see an increase in her income from her coverage of women’s sports and several other networks.
Similar to that, according to a pact with ESPN, Maria will receive a staggering $100,000 per year for her work as a sideline reporter. The Georgian is most notable for leading a luxurious lifestyle, which is made possible by her delectable income.
Maria, however, is as charitable as anyone. In other words, the sportscaster occasionally engages in a variety of charitable activities.
As an illustration, Taylor actively supports The Winning Edge Leadership Academy as a social service organization. The group works to empower women by cultivating leadership skills, especially in minority groups.
Check out Kayce Smith’s biography for information on her age, profession, net worth, college, and Instagram account.
Relationship Information for Maria Taylor: Husband & Wedding
A married lady who is African-American is a sportscaster. Rodney Blackstock is the man who was able to win the lovely journalist’s heart. The two also originally connected in 2014 while watching a Charlotte Hornets game together. Rodney also tried to strike up a discussion.
The two simultaneously swapped numbers and began texting one other often. None of them realized that they were falling in love. Taylor once commented that she had a “that’s the one” feeling and felt weak in the knees when she first saw him.
After that, Maria and Rodney began dating, and eight months later, the former proposed to the latter. It came as a no-brainer to the sportscaster.
Although they both felt that things were moving too quickly and that wedding bells needed to wait for a while before they could ring, they were scheduled to be married in June 2016.
Rodney planned a beautiful proposal with a halo ring decorated with flowers while on a trek someplace in Los Angeles. This time, she agreed and was prepared to take the first step toward a successful marriage.
Finally, on May 5, 2019, the pair exchanged vows in a private ceremony at the Hilton Sandestin in Destin, Florida, with a view of the ocean.
In a wedding with a white theme, Maria wore a stunning gown by Eve of Milady.
Social Media Presence:
Instagram (@mariataylor): 290k followers
Twitter (@MariaTaylor): 289.9k followers
Facebook (Maria Taylor): 53k followers
Some FAQs:
Did Maria Taylor leave ESPN?
Yes, Maria Taylor left ESPN after failing to reach a contract extension.
Where is Maria Taylor working now?
Maria Taylor is currently working for NBC Sports.
What’s between Maria Taylor and comedian, Rickey Smiley?
Maria Taylor and comedian, Rickey Smiley are good friends, and back about their 2015 stuff, Maria was seen promoting his show, “Rickey Smiley For Real.” In the meantime, they were also rumored to be dating. However, it is all discussed in that show’s episode.
Why does Maria Taylor always wear sneakers?
As explained by Maria Taylor herself, sneakers are like her trademark, and as she is already 6 feet 2 inches, that makes her more confident.
What did Rachel Nichols say about Maria Taylor?
Rachel Nichols passed racial comments about Maria Taylor’s NBA Finals hosting duties. She said that Maria Taylor was promoted because she is black.
Later, Nichols was removed from NBA coverage on ESPN, and her show “The Jump” was also canceled.
Whose picture was mistaken with Maria Taylor by NPR?
NPR mistakenly used a photo of ESPN reporter Kimberley Martin in their article while reporting about Maria Taylor.
What did Jalen Rose’s daughter say about Maria and Rachel controversy?
Jalen Rose‘s daughter Mariah Rose claimed that Rachel Nichols got her job at ESPN through nepotism. Likewise, she also said that Rachel should have shown her anger at ESPN rather than Maria Taylor.
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