Kansas City Chiefs right tackle Jawaan Taylor leads the NFL in penalties, and it's safe to say that's a habit fans would like to see end. The veteran blocker has been flagged seven times, although one of those penalties was offset, and his penalty trouble has cost the Chiefs 45 yards that they can't get back.
Despite those struggles, head coach Andy Reid continues to be Taylor's biggest supporter. He stood by him in Week 4, claiming that he would be one of the best tackles in the game if it wasn't for the penalties. Now, he's doubled down on his commitment to him by sharing with him a big piece of advice ahead of his homecoming against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Andy Reid Shares Some Words for Jawaan Taylor Before Jacksonville Return
"It's home, and he did play there. I'm sure it'll be emotional for him that way," Reid said on Thursday (h/t @goldmctNFL). "He knows that he's got to focus in on not being too quick off the ball... He's worked hard at that."
A Florida native, Taylor played for the Gators before the Jacksonville Jaguars took him in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft (No. 35). He spent four years there before the Chiefs gave him a four-year, $80 million contract in 2023.
Given his well-documented issues with penalties, the Chiefs' head coach is doing the right thing by making sure that he doesn't get too overcome by emotion. He can't allow his return to Jacksonville to get into his head and make the same avoidable mistakes he made throughout September.
To be fair, Taylor did play a mistake-free game in the win over the Baltimore Ravens. The fact that he's still at the top of the league in penalties despite not being called for one in Week 4 speaks volumes about how bad he had been to start the season, but we also have to give credit where it's due.
Of course, that has to be the new standard. The Chiefs have Super Bowl aspirations, and they can't afford to go backwards on offense because of mistakes no veteran should make as often as he does. Taylor is making a lot of money, and the Chiefs need him to do better.
Through four weeks, Taylor is ranked No. 95 among 109 offensive tackles with a 45.0 Pro Football Focus grade. Hopefully, some home cooking and a return to the Sunshine State will be just what the ex-Gator needs to string good games together for the first time this season.