Is it better for offensive linemen to play with an edge through the whistle, or to settle all scores within the timeframe of a play?
New York Jets offensive line coach Steve Heiden knows which he would prefer.
Penalties are a major issue for the Jets’ offensive line. The unit has committed a team-high 17 infractions through the first half of the season.
Heiden is trying to put an end to that, especially when it comes to one player’s aggressive nature.
Jets have a John Simpson problem
While every offensive lineman on the Jets roster has been called for multiple penalties this season, starting left guard John Simpson has been the main culprit. The former Baltimore Raven has been called for a team-high six penalties through the team’s first seven games.
Simpson’s penalties have cost the Jets 57 yards, which leads the team and ranks as the most among NFL offensive linemen. That total is bloated by three personal foul penalties.
New York’s veteran guard has always been known to play with an edge. On many occasions, he has been called for a personal foul penalty when coming to the defense of his quarterback.
Whenever Justin Fields or Tyrod Taylor are hit late after a play, Simpson is there to get in the face of the opposing defense. Referees know it, too, which is why Heiden wants to see better control from his veteran guard moving forward.
“He’s a big physical guy,” Heiden said. “I want him to use that physicality in between the whistles. That’s where we are at with this stuff.”
To some Jets fans, Simpson’s pride in the team should be celebrated. He’s a player who loves being a member of the organization and won’t allow other teams to push his teammates around. That kind of edge has been sorely missed by the team.
But there’s a fine line between standing up for a teammate and committing a bad penalty.
Simpson has done more of the latter in 2025.
“I don’t want anything after the whistle,” Heiden told Jets X-Factor. “I think we all respect the notion of trying to protect our guys, but let’s do that between the whistle. There are ways to get after people between the whistles and take care of what we need to take care of.”
After a career year in 2024, Simpson has struggled at times this season. That edge, though, makes him a welcome and important cog in the Jets’ offensive line.
For a team that has gone eight straight quarters without a touchdown, though, they need Simpson to play with better control moving forward.
