Chiefs OT Jawaan Taylor is under fire yet again for the same old issues that have plagued him his entire career
We’ve seen this before.
The Kansas City Chiefs lost to the Los Angeles Chargers for multiple reasons on Friday.
Among them were penalties. The Chiefs committed 10 on the night, costing them 71 yards. That is uncharacteristic from a year ago, as they were the fourth-least penalized team in the NFL. Coach Andy Reid acknowledged the problem after the game.
“We got to clean up some of the penalties that we had, especially in crucial situations as you’re getting ready to go and potentially score,” Reid told the media. “We got to take care of that. I expect more from our guys than that. There’s some little mistakes here and there that we’ll take care of, too.”
OT Jawaan Taylor at the center of Chiefs’ penalty issues
Taylor was penalized four times during the game, getting called for two false starts and two holds. He has a history of committing too many penalties throughout his seven-year career. He led the league with 20 during the 2023 season, and his 58 between 2019-2023 were the most throughout that span.
Taylor’s penalty issues have been under the microscope since he signed a four-year, $80 million contract with the Chiefs in 2023. His quick first step off the line of scrimmage has been specifically controversial, often getting him flagged for a false start.
Things boiled over between Taylor and tight end Travis Kelce following one of Taylor’s penalties in Friday’s game.
Taylor could be on thin ice if he can’t clean up his game quickly. The Chiefs signed OT Jaylon Moore to a two-year, $30 million contract during the offseason, and Moore rotated with Taylor at right tackle with the first-team offense throughout training camp.
One has to wonder how long a leash Taylor will have before a switch to the younger Moore occurs. This is a crucial year for Taylor, as K.C. can save around $20 million by releasing him after the 2025 season.
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