Dan Patrick became synonymous with Super Bowl trophy presentations over the years. He handled the ceremony multiple times for NBC, including the chaotic 2018 Eagles fan celebrations after Super Bowl LII. Tonight’s Super Bowl LX won’t feature him in that role.
Maria Taylor takes over Lombardi Trophy presentation duties after the Patriots-Seahawks game wraps up. It’s her first time running the ceremony. Fans didn’t hold back their thoughts when word got out.
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“Ugh such a downgrade from Dan Patrick,” one fan tweeted.
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“That’s an awful idea,” another fan wrote.
“Nobody has frauded there way up the ladder more than her. Incredible how talentless she is. Biggest waste of money ever,” a fan commented.
Here are more reactions from fans.
“She will need Giant Cue Cards,” one fan tweeted.
“The DEI choice…… Dumbest woman in sports,” another fan added.
“Mike Mac’s schoolmate… the script is written,” a fan commented, referring to Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald.
Taylor spoke with Jimmy Traina on SI Media about the gig earlier this week. She mentioned keeping a “strong wrist,” so players don’t grab the mic. Mike Tirico ran the trophy presentation when NBC last aired the Super Bowl in 2022.
The assignment represents Taylor’s biggest moment at NBC since joining the network in 2021 from ESPN.
Also Read: “She’s the most rotten person in all of TV”: NFL analyst rips NBC’s Maria Taylor’s character ahead of Super Bowl LX
What else is Maria Taylor doing for Super Bowl LX?
Taylor’s running NBC’s pregame show too, starting at 1 p.m. ET. The broadcast goes five hours before kickoff at 6:30 p.m. Jac Collinsworth and Noah Eagle co-host alongside her.
Analysts for the show include Tony Dungy, Jason Garrett, Rodney Harrison and Devin McCourty. NBC brought in 49ers linebacker Fred Warner, Steelers defensive tackle Cameron Heyward, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan, and former Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald as guests.
Taylor became the main host of Football Night in America in 2022. She left ESPN in the summer of 2021 after a messy exit involving leaked audio from Rachel Nichols. NBC grabbed her immediately and put her on Olympics coverage within days.
Edited by Aman Kashyap
