The Chiefs entered the season with a reputation for being one of the cleanest teams in the league. They were the fourth least penalized just a year ago. But the opening night in Brazil changed the story. Their 27-24 loss to the Chargers wasn’t just about blown coverages or missed chances. It was the yellow flags raining down that really told the tale. We’re talking about 10 penalties that cost them 71 yards. And right in the middle of it all is the team’s offensive tackle Jawaan Taylor.

The veteran tackle had a rough night. 4 penalties, split between false starts and holding calls, pretty much made him the poster boy of the Chiefs’ discipline issues. But this isn’t new for Taylor. He’s been flagged more than most linemen in recent years, which sparks a debate: Is he being unfairly targeted, or is it really on him? Turns out, Taylor’s not hiding it.

During a chat with radio host Darren Smith, the 27-year-old admitted that these penalties are actually his fault. When asked if he felt he’s been targeted by the officials or if these flags were on his behalf.

Taylor said, “Not targeted, man. Just got to be better, uh, eliminate them as much as possible, so I don’t hurt the team and just got to be better overall.”

Taylor, who is in his seventh year, has been under the microscope ever since his professional debut. Take the 2023 season, for instance. The veteran OT was penalized league-high 20 times during the season. Before that? At the top, again. Between 2019 and 2023, Taylor committed 58 penalties, the most throughout that span.

Ironically, Jawaan Taylor signed a four-year, $80 million deal with the Chiefs a couple of years ago. It means veteran money, veteran expectations. So when the flags kept piling up on him, not just in Brazil, but throughout a seven-year-long career, there really wasn’t anywhere to hide. And that price tag, you own up. And to his credit, Taylor did.

Travis Kelce was fed up with Jawaan Taylor’s mistakes

Listing every player who struggled would take forever, so let’s just say the Chiefs had a rough night against the Chargers. TE Travis Kelce was one of them. He collided with Xavier Worthy, as the second-year wideout hurt his shoulder. At some point in the third quarter, he collided with the Chargers’ defender Teair Tart, shoving him after a two-year run, and then getting slapped by him on his helmet. But the one incident that stood out?

That’s when the veteran tight end confronted Jawaan Taylor. Turns out, Kelce was fed up with Taylor’s penalties. One thing led to another, and in no time, Kelce got into the face of the right tackle. The writing was on the wall: Kelce was frustrated with his teammate’s poor outing and disciplinary issues.

“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. 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.” Andy Reid addressed the penalty issues to the media.

Those mistakes, however, cost the Chiefs dearly against the Chargers. But when the HC was asked about Kelce confronting Taylor, he had some insights to share.

“It’s an emotional game. That’s part of it. The guys pull for each other, they get after each other. That’s all part of it. When guys do good, they jump around. It’s all part of it. Time and place for everything,” Reid said.

After all, Kelce confronting Taylor was needed. Because with the Eagles coming next week to Arrowhead, losing yards to penalties would be one of the last things the Chiefs want. That said, we’ll see how Jawaan Taylor improves his habits heading deep into the season. It’ll start with the Eagles’ Week 2 clash. Stay Tuned!