Jawaan Taylor and the Kansas City Chiefs’ offensive line have the most important job in the NFL: keeping Patrick Mahomes clean. But much to the fan base’s chagrin, the superstar quarterback’s bodyguards didn’t always hold up their end of the bargain last year. More specifically, the much-maligned right tackle was often at the forefront of their shortcomings and has consequently caught plenty of flak.

However, Taylor addressed the media following Day 11 of Kansas City’s training camp and revealed that he wasn’t healthy for much of this past season. We’re not talking about nicks and bruises either; we’re talking about significant lower-leg damage. The 27-year-old pulled back the curtain and shared some insight on the physical challenges that plagued him in 2024.

Chiefs OL Jawaan Taylor deserves slack after playing through knee injuries in 2024

Taylor got an MRI at the end of last season, and the results weren’t great, to say the least. It showed a partially torn meniscus and “wear and tear” on his patella. The veteran blocker said he got hurt in Week 5, meaning he was playing through concerning maladies for a lot of games.

With this newfound intel, it’s hard not to look at Taylor’s struggles differently. What he faced was much more serious than we’ve been led to believe, undergoing not just one, but two procedures this offseason. His openness sheds a new light on the situation.

“I had a knee scope back in March,” Taylor said (h/t Charles Goldman of AtoZSports). “Then I went on to Panama has a stem cell injection in May, so just been treating it, trying to get my knee back healthy for the season.”

Assuming the issues are a thing of the past, which Taylor suggests they are, there’s a glass-half-full perspective here. His info dump foreshadows immense room for growth in the upcoming campaign. The Chiefs being able to trust and rely on him would be a monumental development for their 2025 outlook.

Jawaan Taylor being healthy could be a massive swing factor for the Chiefs in 2025

Not only does Taylor deserve the benefit of the doubt, but credit is due for gutting through the ailments. You can’t question his toughness or devotion to the team. Nonetheless, with improved fitness, plus the addition of first-round offensive tackle Josh Simmons to bookend him, there’s potential for Kansas City’s playbook to open up.

Kansas City notably recently removed Taylor from the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list. He’s been dealing with a knee problem that’s been mostly a mystery until now. All we’ve known before his transparent discussion with reporters is that it stems from an incident dating back to last season and required surgery.