Taylor leaves ESPN after failing to reach contract extension

Maria Taylor is leaving ESPN after the two sides were unable to reach an agreement on a contract extension

Maria Taylor is leaving ESPN after the two sides were unable to reach an agreement on a contract extension. Taylor had been with ESPN since 2014 but her contract expired Tuesday. Her last assignment for the network was Tuesday night at the NBA Finals, where she was the pregame and postgame host for the network's “NBA Countdown” show. “So thankful to Jimmy (Pitaro) and all of my great teammates and friends at the SEC Network, College GameDay, Women’s and Men’s college basketball, and the NBA Countdown family — the people who believed in me, encouraged me, pushed me, and lifted me up," Taylor said in a statement released through ESPN. "Words are inadequate to express my boundless appreciation, and I hope to make them proud.” Taylor had hosted “NBA Countdown” since 2019 as well as being a reporter for “College GameDay” and ABC “Saturday Night Football” since 2017.