During the Chiefs’ loss to the Lions on Thursday night, one of the storylines was Jawaan Taylor’s ability to line up seemingly illegally throughout the night. Kansas City’s veteran right tackle appeared to set up behind the rest of the Chiefs’ offensive line, but it wasn’t called for most of the game.
That is, until the final drive of the night, when the referees called Taylor for a false start during a crucial drive. On the penalty, NBA analyst Cris Collinsworth described Taylor in a way that makes it clear he didn’t think the tackle was playing by the rules.
“You see Jawaan Taylor playing slot receiver finally got busted,” Collinsworth joked on the broadcast.
Finally the call after almost 60 minutes
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) September 8, 2023
"Jawaan Taylor playing slot receiver."pic.twitter.com/ccW8zozYnshttps://t.co/gg8xPtScv5
Taylor, who spent the first four years of his career with the Jaguars, has been able to successfully find loopholes in the rules that give him slight advantages. That includes his appearing to move slightly before the center snaps the ball.
No one is going to call False Start on #Chiefs Jawaan Taylor? it's pretty blatant..pic.twitter.com/oSbGlo10tq
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) September 8, 2023
Moving forward, Taylor likely will be under the microscope. Time will tell whether officials crack down on his practices now that his tricks have been spotted by fans and analysts alike.
