Maria Taylor has built an impressive career in sports broadcasting, becoming one of the most recognizable faces in American sports television. From college football and basketball coverage to major NFL events and the Olympics, Taylor has continued to take on bigger roles throughout her career.
Away from the cameras, however, Taylor has kept much of her personal life relatively private. Her marriage to Jonathan Lee Hemphill has attracted attention because of their long history and the family they have built together.
Taylor and Hemphill got married in February 2021 and later welcomed their first child, a son named Roman Ryan Taylor Hemphill. Their relationship story includes a connection that goes back to their teenage years, a reunion during the pandemic, and a long fertility journey before becoming parents.
Here is what to know about Maria Taylor’s husband, Jonathan Lee Hemphill, his career, their relationship and their son.
Who Is Maria Taylor Married To?
Maria Taylor is married to Jonathan Lee Hemphill, an entrepreneur and businessman whose professional interests include art, luxury goods and technology.
The couple exchanged vows on February 12, 2021, in an intimate ceremony. Unlike many celebrity couples, Taylor and Hemphill have generally avoided putting every part of their relationship in the public eye.
Their story is especially interesting because they were not strangers when they eventually became a couple. Taylor and Hemphill reportedly knew each other during their high school years at Centennial High School in Roswell, Georgia.
They eventually went in different directions after school. Years later, their paths crossed again during the COVID-19 pandemic.
How Did Maria Taylor and Jonathan Hemphill Meet?
Taylor and Hemphill’s relationship began with a connection that dates back to their high school days.
The two attended Centennial High School and knew each other when they were younger. However, they did not immediately become the couple they are today. Life took them in separate directions after high school, with each focusing on their own career and personal journey.
Their relationship took a new turn in 2020. During the pandemic, Taylor reached out to Hemphill, which helped restart their connection.
What began as a reconnection eventually developed into a serious relationship. Within a relatively short period, the pair decided to take the next step together.
They married on February 12, 2021.
Their story is a reminder that sometimes relationships can come back around years after two people first meet. In Taylor and Hemphill’s case, a high school connection eventually became a marriage and a growing family.
What Does Jonathan Lee Hemphill Do?
Jonathan Lee Hemphill has built a career as an entrepreneur and executive, with professional interests that are quite different from Taylor’s work in sports broadcasting.
Hemphill has been associated with the worlds of art, luxury and technology. His business career includes work with Paddle, a platform connected to art and luxury auctions.
He also founded Squared Circles, an AI-focused creative agency. The company works at the intersection of technology, creativity and brand development.
His professional background has given him experience in several industries rather than following one traditional career path. His work has included the use of technology and creative ideas to help brands and businesses develop new ways of reaching audiences.
While Taylor is frequently seen on television, Hemphill tends to maintain a lower public profile. That difference appears to work well for the couple, allowing Taylor to focus on her high-profile broadcasting career while Hemphill continues his business ventures.
Maria Taylor and Jonathan Hemphill’s Marriage
Taylor and Hemphill have kept their marriage largely private since their wedding.
Taylor’s career has placed her in front of millions of viewers. She has covered some of the biggest events in American sports, while Hemphill has continued working behind the scenes in business and entrepreneurship.
Despite their public profiles, the couple has not turned their marriage into a constant subject of media attention.
Taylor has occasionally offered fans glimpses of their life together, particularly when sharing major family milestones. Those moments have shown a more personal side of the broadcaster that viewers do not always see during her television appearances.
Their marriage also came during an important period in Taylor’s career. She continued to rise professionally while building her home life with Hemphill.
Maria Taylor and Jonathan Hemphill’s Fertility Journey
One of the most meaningful chapters in the couple’s relationship was their journey toward becoming parents.
Taylor has spoken publicly about facing difficulties while trying to have a child. The journey reportedly involved IVF and surgeries and lasted for several years.
For the couple, becoming parents was not something that happened easily. Their experience made the arrival of their son an especially emotional moment.
Taylor shared parts of her pregnancy journey with her followers, expressing gratitude and excitement about entering a new stage of her life.
Her openness about the experience also gave fans a glimpse into the personal challenges that can exist behind a successful public career.
For someone accustomed to discussing sports and major events professionally, sharing such a personal chapter represented a very different kind of moment.
Who Is Maria Taylor’s Son?
Maria Taylor and Jonathan Lee Hemphill welcomed their first child together on December 24, 2023.
Their son is named Roman Ryan Taylor Hemphill.
The arrival of Roman marked a major milestone for the couple after their difficult fertility journey. Taylor had previously shared her excitement about becoming a mother and described the pregnancy as an incredibly meaningful new season in her life.
The couple has continued to protect their son’s privacy while occasionally sharing family moments.
Becoming a mother has added another important dimension to Taylor’s life. Along with her demanding broadcasting schedule, she now balances her professional responsibilities with raising her young son.
Maria Taylor’s Previous Marriage
Before her marriage to Jonathan Lee Hemphill, Maria Taylor was married to sports producer Rodney Blackstock.
Taylor and Blackstock married in 2019, but their relationship later ended in divorce.
Her marriage to Hemphill came after that chapter of her life had ended. The relationship also developed quickly after the two reconnected during the pandemic.
Taylor has largely focused on her current family life rather than revisiting the details of her previous marriage.
Maria Taylor’s Career Beyond Her Marriage
While interest in Taylor’s husband and family remains strong, her own career is a major reason she has become such a familiar name in sports media.
She has worked across several major sports, including football and basketball, and has covered some of the biggest events in the world.
Her career reached another significant point when she became the first woman to host Football Night in America. She has also been part of NBC Sports’ coverage of major international sporting events, including the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Taylor’s ability to move between different sports and major live events has helped establish her as one of the leading sports broadcasters of her generation.
Her professional success has also happened alongside major changes in her personal life, including marriage and motherhood.
A Private Family With Big Careers
Maria Taylor and Jonathan Lee Hemphill have a relationship that combines a long-standing personal connection with two very different professional worlds.
Taylor works in one of the most visible areas of sports media, where her face and voice are familiar to viewers across the country. Hemphill, meanwhile, has pursued entrepreneurship, art and technology while keeping a much lower profile.
Their story began years before they became a married couple. They knew each other in high school, lost touch as life moved forward, and eventually reconnected during the pandemic.
That reunion changed the direction of both their lives.
Today, Taylor and Hemphill are married and parents to Roman Ryan Taylor Hemphill. After facing a challenging path to parenthood, welcoming their son became one of the most important moments in their relationship.
For Taylor, the combination of a growing broadcasting career and motherhood has created a new chapter outside the sports world. While she continues to take on major assignments on television, her family life with Hemphill and their son remains an important part of the story behind the public figure.
As Taylor continues to make history in sports broadcasting, fans remain interested not only in her career achievements but also in the family she has built away from the spotlight.