5 Chiefs Most to Blame for the Super Bowl Collapse

3. Jawaan Taylor

Whenever the Chiefs started to build momentum on either side of the field, they were hit with costly penalties. The Chiefs' drive that essentially sealed the game came in the third quarter.

After Patrick Mahomes got the first down with an impressive scramble, Taylor was penalized for a hold and facemask on Brandon Graham. This nullified the first down, and the Chiefs failed to get the first down on the next possession.

For Chiefs fans, this is a familiar sight. Taylor is notable for being one of the most penalized players in the NFL and for his false starts.

In the first three quarters, Taylor allowed four pressures and a sack and received a 37.2 pass-blocking grade on PFF on true pass sets. His run-blocking wasn't particularly better, with a 55.7 grade through the somewhat competitive portion of the game.

The offensive line was a mess all game, so Taylor is obviously not the only Chief to blame. However, considering his status as one of the highest-paid players on the team and a free agent, GM Brett Veach targeted him in the 2023 offseason and broke the bank. Therefore, his struggles are more disappointing than others.

Taylor's 59.9 PFF grade throughout the season ranked 62nd among 81 eligible offensive tackles in the league. For a player on a four-year, $80 million deal, that is simply not good enough.