If you’ve spent any time at all watching sports over the last decade, you’ve seen Maria Taylor. She’s hard to miss. Standing 6-foot-2 with a presence that basically commands whatever room (or stadium) she’s in, Taylor has become the gold standard for sports broadcasting. But lately, people have been hitting Google with one specific question: how old is Maria Taylor? It’s a fair thing to wonder. She seems to have packed about thirty years of career milestones into a very short window.
Honestly, the answer is pretty straightforward, though it might surprise you given how much she’s already accomplished. Maria Taylor was born on May 12, 1987. As of right now, in early 2026, Maria Taylor is 38 years old.
She’s at that sweet spot in a broadcasting career. She has the veteran "been-there-done-that" energy of someone who’s covered a dozen National Championships, but she’s also young enough to be the face of a network for the next twenty years. You’ve probably noticed she isn’t just "the sideline reporter" anymore. She is the lead. The anchor. The person NBC trusts with their biggest properties.
From Athens to the NBC Anchor Chair
Taylor didn't just stumble into a microphone. She was a literal powerhouse at the University of Georgia. We’re talking a two-sport Division I athlete. Between 2005 and 2009, she wasn't just on the roster; she was dominating. She was a three-time All-SEC volleyball player and a heavy hitter on the basketball court.
When people ask about Maria Taylor's age, they’re often trying to trace the timeline of how she got so good, so fast. It started in Athens. She graduated with her degree in broadcast news in 2009 (at age 22) and then, because apparently being a star athlete wasn't enough, she went back for her MBA and finished that in 2013.
Her career timeline is a bit of a whirlwind:
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- 2009–2012: Cutting her teeth at IMG College at UGA.
- 2013: Joining ESPN2 and quickly moving up to the SEC Network by 2014.
- 2017: The big jump to College GameDay and Saturday Night Football.
- 2021: The high-profile, somewhat dramatic move to NBC Sports.
By the time she joined NBC, she was only 34. Most people in this industry don't touch an Olympic hosting gig or the Football Night in America desk until they’re well into their 40s or 50s. She did it before she could even rent a car without the "young driver" vibe (okay, that’s an exaggeration, but you get the point).
Why Everyone Is Talking About Her Now (2025-2026)
If you feel like you’re seeing more of her lately, it’s because you are. 2025 was a massive year for her. NBC officially named her the lead studio host for their NBA and WNBA coverage. This was a "full-circle" moment for her, considering she played the game at such a high level.
She’s now heading into the spring of 2026 as the primary face of the WNBA on NBC and Peacock. With the league’s popularity absolutely exploding—thanks to the "Caitlin Clark effect" and the general surge in women's sports interest—Taylor is the perfect person to bridge the gap between old-school sports fans and the new generation.
The Contract and the "Emmy" Factor
It’s worth noting that Maria isn't just a face; she's a decorated journalist. She picked up a Sports Emmy in 2024 for her work on the Paris Olympics. That’s a big deal. It moves her from "popular host" to "critically acclaimed expert."
There was a lot of noise a few years back when she left ESPN. You might remember the leaked audio involving Rachel Nichols. It was messy. But looking at where she is now at 38, it’s clear she made the right bet on herself. She turned down a $5 million offer from ESPN because she knew her value was higher elsewhere. Now, she’s locked into a multi-year deal at NBC that keeps her at the center of the Super Bowl, the Olympics, and the NBA Playoffs.
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Real Talk: The "Ageless" Professionalism
Kinda funny thing about Maria Taylor’s age—she has this way of sounding like your most knowledgeable friend while maintaining total professional authority. She doesn't use the "corporate speak" that makes some broadcasters feel like robots.
When she’s on Football Night in America, she’s managing big personalities like Chris Simms and Jason Garrett. That takes a specific kind of maturity. You have to be able to command respect from former players and coaches who are often much older than you. At 38, she’s younger than some of the "veteran" kickers or quarterbacks still hanging around the league, yet she’s the one running the show.
What’s Next for Maria Taylor?
So, she’s 38. She has an MBA. She has a Sports Emmy. She’s the lead host for the NFL, the NBA, and the Olympics. What else is there?
Honestly, she’s moving into the executive producer space. She’s already started producing documentaries and projects behind the camera. It’s a smart move. While most people are just trying to get on TV at her age, she’s already looking at how to own the stories being told.
If you’re a young journalist looking for a blueprint, Taylor’s path is it. She didn't just rely on being a former athlete. she stayed in school, got the advanced degree, took the "small" jobs at the SEC Network, and waited for the right moment to jump.
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Practical Takeaways from Maria Taylor's Career Path:
- Education is a safety net: Getting that MBA while working at Georgia gave her leverage most broadcasters don't have.
- Know your value: Walking away from a multi-million dollar contract is terrifying, but if the environment isn't right, the money doesn't matter.
- Versatility wins: She didn't just "do football." She did volleyball, basketball, tennis (French Open), and the Olympics. The more you can do, the harder you are to replace.
You’re going to be seeing a lot more of her as the 2026 WNBA season kicks off this spring. Whether she's 38 or 58, the depth of her sports knowledge and that "Athens-bred" work ethic isn't going anywhere.
To keep up with her latest moves, you can follow her on Instagram at @mariataylor, where she usually shares behind-the-scenes looks at the NBC sets and her life as a mom (she welcomed a son in late 2023). It’s a reminder that while the world sees the "star broadcaster," she’s also just a person balancing a massive career with real life.
Next Steps for Readers:
If you want to see her in action, check out the Sunday night NBA broadcasts on NBC or tune in to Peacock for the WNBA tip-off this May. You can also look up her "Taylor Rooks" interview for a deeper dive into how she handled the transition from ESPN to NBC.