Chiefs Have No Choice but to Rely on Jawaan Taylor Despite Mounting Frustrations
There was a moment when the Kansas City Chiefs' offensive line was healthy that it appeared the franchise might finally move away from right tackle Jawaan Taylor. The veteran has been a consistent cause of frustration based on relentless penalties and mistakes that you would expect from a rookie, not an established veteran starter. Still, the Chiefs no longer have a choice when it comes to whether or not Taylor will remain in the starting lineup. Injuries have answered this question and given Taylor a level of job security that isn't deserved.
Rookie tackle Josh Simmons is expected to miss extended time after suffering a fractured and dislocated wrist. Already, star right guard Trey Smith was out, having a high and low ankle sprain that will require time to heal. Now, Kansas City is down two offensive linemen, forcing replacement tackle Jaylon Moore into the lineup to replace Simmons.
This perfectly paints the picture of why the Chiefs have no choice but to trust Taylor and hope that the penalties subside. With that said, it doesn't mean Kansas City is forced to stick with the tackle moving forward if the performance doesn't improve during the season's final weeks.
Chiefs Right Tackle Jawaan Taylor Handed Newfound Job Security Amid Offensive Line Injuries
Taylor is arguably the safest starter along the offensive line based simply on the fact that the Chiefs are out of options at the tackle position. If another injury were to strike, the franchise would be forced to turn to Wanya Morris. This isn't something any KC fan wants to see, understanding just how inept Morris was a season ago in the Chiefs' starting lineup. With this in mind, Taylor has an incredible level of security even if it isn't deserved.
What's so maddening about watching the right tackle play is the fact that there is a level of ability and consistency in his pass protection. Taylor's downfall is simply being unable to quell dumb penalties that appear in the worst possible moments. The mistakes are consistent enough to raise frustrations to a level that has Chiefs fans more than ready to turn the page.
Something that is no longer possible based on the time of year and the fact that there are no other viable options to insert into the lineup. Injuries often present opportunities for players buried on the depth chart or receiving limited snaps; this time, Kansas City's injuries have afforded a surprising level of job security.
Taylor now has an opportunity as well to take advantage of this chance and make his case as to why the tackle must stay in the starting lineup. Something that there is now plenty of time to do, as it seems Simmons' potential return is far down the road in what has been an incredibly disheartening 2025 season. One that still has a chance to be Taylor's last in the Kansas City starting lineup.
Jack Sawyer Calls Out Steelers Fans Over 'Fire Tomlin' Chant
The Pittsburgh Steelers are reeling once again following another embarrassing loss. The season is quickly slipping out of the Steelers' hands, and the fanbase has responded with vitriol toward the roster and head coach Mike Tomlin. Things reached a fever pitch during their Week 13 loss, as the fanbase hurled "Fire Tomlin!" chants down on the team.
Following the loss, the Steelers players quickly came to their coach's defense. Leaders like Aaron Rodgers and T.J. Watt spoke about accountability in the locker room and defended Tomlin's coaching abilities and command of the team.
Even rookie linebacker Jack Sawyer took issue with the fans' jeering and blaming of Tomlin. Speaking postgame, he said the players are the ones to blame for not performing, and the coach shouldn't be scapegoated. He even went so far as to describe the calls for Tomlin as "BS."
“Yeah, you’re frustrated because that’s BS when people are saying that, but we’re not playing up to our standard," Sawyer said. "We need to take ownership as players and go out there and play a lot better."
Who is to Blame?
While the Steelers' locker room might not think Tomlin is the problem, that opinion isn't shared outside of that room. The fact of the matter is that this team was built entirely in Tomlin's image and making. The defensive moves to acquire Jalen Ramsey and Darius Slay were supposed to fix their secondary. It didn't.
They brought in Tomlin's hand-picked starting quarterback in a washed up version of Aaron Rodgers. They swapped out a problematic figure in George Pickens for DK Metcalf at wide receiver. It's led to their offense being just as pedestrian as it has been since Ben Roethlisberger retired.
Hate the Sin, Love the Sinner
Yes, the players have failed and need to be better. Watt has gone from elite to just good. Alex Highsmith can't stay on the field. Metcalf's dropped passes issue has resurfaced with a vengeance in 2025. Ramsey has taken a step back. The running backs, Jaylen Warren and Kenny Gainwell, are doing their best with nothing to work with. There's plenty of blame worth lobbing on the players in the room.
But, ultimately, the buck stops with the head coach. If the entire roster is underperforming, who else is left to blame? Jack Sawyer might think it's "BS" to suggest firing Tomlin, but with nowhere left to turn, it's quickly becoming the Steelers' only option.
