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For nearly a year, Joy Taylor has remained away from the broadcasting world following her decade-long run with Fox Sports. But now, Taylor has found a new platform for her voice. This time, though, she’s returning to audio. According to reports, Taylor is launching a new daily sports podcast titled The Daily Play With Joy Taylor on the Urban One Podcast Network.

“I wanted to create something fast, focused, and always authentic. Sports fans are busy, but they want the context behind the conversation. With The Daily Play, I’m giving them what it means and what to watch next—in just a few minutes,” Taylor said in a statement. “Joining Urban One allows me to talk directly to a loyal, engaged audience across the country. I’m excited to get back to my radio roots!”

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The new show is being described as a micro-podcast. For context, each episode will reportedly run between five and ten minutes, covering the biggest sports stories of the day while mixing Taylor’s opinions with the latest headlines.

Her new role comes nearly a year after she parted ways with FOX Sports. After joining the network in March 2016 and initially filling in for Kristine Leahy on The Herd with Colin Cowherd, Taylor eventually became the host of Undisputed before later moving to Speak. However, her departure from the network last summer generated attention for several reasons.

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For broader context, Taylor was named as a defendant in a workplace misconduct lawsuit filed in January 2025 by former FOX Sports hairstylist Noushin Faraji, who accused Taylor of racial discrimination and other misconduct-related allegations. Taylor, however, strongly denied the accusations and later stated that the lawsuit had nothing to do with her exit from the network.

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“I will say that that situation and that suit had nothing to do with the changes that happened at FS1,” Taylor said in August 2025 on the Hot Mics with Billy Bush Podcast. “I think from a logical standpoint, everyone can just look at it and see what the changes were and that there were three shows that were cut.”

Taylor’s departure ultimately came as part of FOX Sports’ broader decision to restructure its afternoon programming lineup. As part of that move, FOX canceled Speak alongside Breakfast Ball and The Facility in favor of a new morning show co-produced with Barstool Sports.

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Now, with her FOX Sports chapter behind her, Taylor is preparing for a fresh start with the Urban One Podcast Network, beginning with The Daily Play With Joy Taylor. And it’s worth noting that Taylor’s latest move came months after she admitted her desire to step away from the sporting world.

When Joy Taylor questioned her future in the media

When Joy Taylor left Fox Sports after a decade-long run with the network, many questioned what her future in sports media would look like. At the same time, Taylor herself wasn’t even sure whether her future would remain in the public eye at all. Following her departure from FOX Sports, Taylor appeared on Higher Learning from The Ringer and reflected on both her exit from the network and the uncertainty surrounding her next step.

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“Overall, like the saying ‘it doesn’t feel like work is when you’re doing something that you actually enjoy. I think what happened to me this year took that away from me,” she said last year. “I don’t know if I’ll get that back. I might — and maybe like when the callous forms over the wound and you get away from things you it doesn’t feel, like the tremors go away, so we’re not there yet — but right now, it doesn’t feel that way. It doesn’t feel exciting.

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“Like the big dreams seem like ‘I’m going to do it but I’m not as excited about it.’ And that’s kind of s*itty ’cause this has been a lot of work and a lot of passion. But it’s been something that I think has come naturally to me because I enjoy it… but the building the work of it all, it doesn’t feel the same. Like the dream now is to just disappear.”

At that point, the departure was still fresh. And considering FOX Sports had canceled multiple afternoon programs, including Speak, while Taylor was also dealing with being named in a workplace misconduct lawsuit tied to the network, it was understandable why she no longer felt excited about the work itself.

Now, nearly a year later, things appear to be shifting again. After going through that difficult stretch, Taylor is returning to audio with her latest venture after joining the Urban One Podcast Network for her next show.

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Keshav Pareek

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Keshav Pareek is a Senior NFL Features Writer at EssentiallySports, where he has covered two action-packed football seasons. He also contributes to the ES Behind the Scenes series, spotlighting the lives of top NFL stars off the field. Keshav is known for weaving humor into serious sports writing and connecting with readers by tapping into the emotional heart of the game. He’s particularly fascinated by the NFL Draft’s “Green Room” drama and remains puzzled by Shedeur Sanders’ unexpected draft slide, an outcome he calls downright baffling. With a fresh wave of breakout talent on the horizon, Keshav is primed for another thrilling season. A lifelong NFL fan, Keshav closely follows quarterbacks like Patrick Mahomes, drawing inspiration from their leadership and playmaking ability in his coverage. He brings a mix of sharp analysis and narrative storytelling to every story, providing readers with a compelling view of the league both on and off the field.

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