The Kansas City Chiefs, perennial Super Bowl contenders in the Patrick Mahomes era, are grappling with a persistent issue that threatens their razor-thin margin for error: the penalty-prone play of starting right tackle Jawaan Taylor. For the third consecutive season, Taylor leads the NFL in penalties, a dubious distinction that has sparked frustration, public outcries, and now, an apparent openness to change from the Chiefs’ coaching staff. As offensive line coach Andy Heck recently admitted, “I’m open to suggestions” on how to address Taylor’s flag-filled performances. With the team’s patience wearing thin and a viable alternative waiting in the wings, the Chiefs may be approaching a pivotal moment in their approach to Taylor’s role.
A Persistent Problem
Jawaan Taylor’s penalty issues are not new. Since joining the Chiefs in 2023, he has been the NFL’s most-flagged player, amassing 23 penalties in 2023, tying for the lead with 19 in 2024, and now pacing the league again in 2025 with seven penalties through just three games. His infractions—primarily false starts and illegal formations—have consistently disrupted drives and cost the Chiefs valuable field position. In their recent 22-9 win over the Giants, Taylor’s illegal-formation penalty nullified a Mahomes first-down scramble to the 21-yard line, forcing Kansas City to settle for a field goal instead of a potential touchdown. Such miscues are particularly costly for a team that, despite its dynastic success, operates with less room for error than ever before.
The Chiefs’ frustration is palpable. From Travis Kelce’s sideline outburst after one of Taylor’s four penalties in the season opener against Los Angeles to offensive coordinator Matt Nagy’s blunt declaration that the penalties “have got to stop,” the organization has been vocal about the issue. Offensive line coach Andy Heck echoed this sentiment, stating, “As talented a pass protector as Taylor is, penalties, going backwards, is not good for the football team.” Yet, despite these repeated warnings and “heart-to-heart” conversations, Taylor’s penalty count continues to climb.
A Loop of Sound and Fury
Taylor himself is no stranger to the criticism. As early as September 2023, he acknowledged the need to clean up his game, saying, “Like coaches always say, ‘Nobody is worth a penalty. Nobody is too big to be worth the penalty.’ So (I’ll) make sure I’m fixing that and doing my job.” Two years later, the same issues persist, leaving observers to question whether the Chiefs are stuck in a cycle of futility—repeating the same coaching points and expecting different results. As Heck admitted with a smile when pressed for solutions, “I mean, ‘Don’t jump offsides. Don’t line up too deep. This is offsides.’”
The Chiefs’ reluctance to move on from Taylor stems from his undeniable talent. A starter in 102 career games, Taylor is a gifted pass protector, allowing just five pressures in three games this season. Head coach Andy Reid has praised his overall performance, noting, “When he doesn’t have the penalties, the percentages have been good.” Yet, the penalties are an ever-looming shadow, and the team’s public stance—that it’s on Taylor to fix the issue—may mask a deeper calculus.
A Marked Man?
Part of the Chiefs’ leniency may be rooted in their belief that Taylor is unfairly targeted by officials. Since his first game with Kansas City in 2023, when NBC broadcasters Cris Collinsworth and Terry McAulay scrutinized his alignment in the season opener against the Detroit Lions, Taylor has been under a microscope. That scrutiny peaked in a Week 2 game against Jacksonville in 2023, when he was flagged five times—the most by any player in a single NFL game since 2016. Reid, frustrated by what he perceived as selective enforcement, benched Taylor briefly to help him “step back” and later remarked, “They’ve got an eye on him, and they better keep an eye on everybody else, too. Because it’s to the point of being ridiculous.”
Heck echoed this sentiment, noting that referees often speak with Taylor before games to warn him about his alignment, urging him to “move up.” Yet, Heck also acknowledged that other tackles around the league line up as deep or deeper than Taylor without drawing flags. While he stopped short of calling Taylor a “marked man,” the implication is clear: the Chiefs believe officiating crews are hyper-focused on their right tackle, creating a cycle where Taylor’s attempts to gain a competitive edge through spacing and timing are disproportionately penalized.
The Case for Jaylon Moore
As Taylor’s penalties continue to mount, the Chiefs have a potential solution already on their roster: Jaylon Moore, a former San Francisco 49er signed to a two-year, $30 million contract in the offseason. Moore, who has started just 12 career games compared to Taylor’s 102, played late in the Giants game, prompting speculation about whether the Chiefs were sending a message to Taylor. Heck dismissed the idea that Moore’s reps were intended to motivate Taylor, instead praising Moore’s performance and physicality. “Jaylon’s been doing a lot of good things for us,” Heck said. “We’ve got a lot of confidence in him.”
Moore represents more than just a backup plan—he could be the reset the Chiefs need. Even a temporary shift, such as giving Moore a start or a significant series, could jolt Taylor into addressing his penalty issues. More importantly, it would signal that the Chiefs are willing to prioritize discipline over familiarity, especially for a team that cannot afford self-inflicted setbacks. The $20 million investment in Taylor this season is significant, but the cost of his penalties—both in yards and momentum—may outweigh his contributions if the trend continues.
A Turning Point Looms
The Chiefs’ public acknowledgment of Taylor’s penalty problem, coupled with Heck’s openness to “suggestions,” marks a potential turning point. While the team has been patient, leaning on Taylor’s experience and talent, their comments suggest a growing willingness to explore alternatives. Reid’s history of giving players second chances is well-documented, but even his patience has limits. The Chiefs’ decision to stick with Taylor thus far likely reflects their belief that his overall skill set and grasp of their complex offense outweigh Moore’s potential contributions—at least for now.
However, the margin for error in the Mahomes era has never been slimmer. With defenses keying in on Kansas City’s every move and officiating crews seemingly zeroed in on Taylor, the Chiefs cannot afford to let penalties derail their championship aspirations. If Taylor cannot adjust his approach—whether by refining his alignment or resisting the urge to jump early—the Chiefs may have no choice but to turn to Moore or another solution.
The question is not whether Taylor knows what he needs to do—he’s been told repeatedly and acknowledges the issue himself. The question is whether he can do it consistently enough to justify the Chiefs’ faith in him. If not, the team’s openness to suggestions could lead to a bold move: giving Moore a chance to prove himself, even if just for a game or a series. Such a decision would send a clear message that no player, no matter how talented, is worth the cost of repeated penalties.
For now, the Chiefs remain caught between frustration and hope, banking on Taylor’s ability to finally break the cycle. But with a viable alternative in Moore and a coaching staff openly seeking solutions, the time for a change may be closer than ever. The next few games will likely determine whether Taylor can silence his critics—or whether the Chiefs will finally act on their own advice and make a decisive adjustment.