Chiefs RT Jawaan Taylor is doing exactly what Kansas City needed him to do after rampant streak of penalties to start 2025 season

The penalty problems are reversing course for Kansas City Chiefs RT Jawaan Taylor, but can he sustain it?

Charles Goldman — NFL Managing Editor
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For the early goings of the 2025 NFL season, Kansas City Chiefs RT Jawaan Taylor’s penalty problem overshadowed what has otherwise been very solid play from the veteran.

After the past three weeks, we can now appreciate his performance for what it has been. He hasn’t allowed a sack all season. He’s allowed just four total pressures since the Week 5 game against his old team, the Jacksonville Jaguars, and has only allowed 10 pressures on the season. He hasn’t allowed a QB hit since Week 3 against the New York Giants.

The reality is that Taylor has stepped up in a big way with Jaylon Moore sliding into the left tackle spot in place of rookie OT Josh Simmons, who remains out for personal reasons. It all starts with his ability to bounce back and put together three consecutive games that were virtually penalty-free.

Chiefs RT Jawaan Taylor has his penalty problem under control

Over the past two weeks, Taylor has been called for no penalties. In Week 5 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, he was called for an illegal formation penalty, but that was actually WR Tyquan Thornton’s fault. He had him covered up on the line of scrimmage and needed to look down and adjust his alignment.

Chiefs RT Jawaan Taylor Penalty Quick Facts

Taylor has amassed 43 penalties since he joined Kansas City in free agency in 2023. He was the early 2025 NFL leader in total penalties, with 6 accepted penalties and 7 called penalties through the first 4 weeks of the season.

As things currently stand, Taylor is still tied for second in the NFL in total penalties. He’s led by San Francisco 49ers DB Deommodore Lenoir, who has been called for eight penalties. Taylor has gone multi-week stretches without penalties before, even during his two years in Kansas City before 2025. This feels like something sustainable for a “Monday Night Football” matchup against a banged-up Washington Commanders defense, but will he be able to keep it up against the Buffalo Bills and then the Denver Broncos after the bye week?

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