NFL Penalty Tracker
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Automatic First Downs - 2009 to Present

This page shows all penalties that resulted in an automatic first down based on the type of penalty. There are many additional penalties that based on the penalty yardage and distance remaining resulted in a first down.

"3rd & Long" is 3rd down and 6 or more yards. "Desperation" is 3rd and 10 or more or 4th and 6 or more. "Yardage Mitigated" is the total yardage the team had left to get a first down when the flag was thrown granting a gratis first down. Remember: There are more first down plays than 2nd down plays, more 2nd down plays than 3rd, and so on.

Beneficiary means the team benefitted from the penalty. Declined and Offsetting penalties are not shown in this table. Penalties occurring on special teams are not included.

The table below contains the following penalties: Defensive Pass Interference (3796), Defensive Holding (2801), Roughing the Passer (1551), Illegal Contact (917), Illegal Use of Hands (810), Face Mask (15 Yards) (771), Unsportsmanlike Conduct (319), Horse Collar Tackle (238), Personal Foul (237), Face Mask (128), Taunting (122), Lowering the Head to Initiate Contact (70), Tripping (33), Lowering the Head to Make Forcible Contact (4), Roughing the Kicker (1), and Clipping (1)

Scroll left and right for additional columns.
TeamGamesTotal1st Down2nd Down3rd Down4th Down3rd & LongDesperationYardage MitigatedPenalty Yards
Atlanta2521.6510.5440.5160.5280.0520.3170.16313.66317.060
Cleveland2461.3980.4390.4550.4430.0570.2800.12211.61414.736
Minnesota2521.5360.5240.4250.5320.0400.3170.13912.13117.294
Tampa Bay2521.5160.5950.4400.4370.0360.2780.15113.13118.052
Green Bay2661.6200.5260.4740.5750.0300.3160.13513.32019.496
Jacksonville2481.5120.5320.4680.4640.0440.2700.12912.74216.673
Houston2551.3880.5060.4200.4310.0200.2670.11411.67115.020
Seattle2621.3240.4920.3850.3970.0420.2560.13011.32115.714
Denver2531.5970.5100.4740.5570.0430.3320.14213.24918.237
Baltimore2621.3660.4200.4620.4470.0310.2750.13711.53817.599
LA Chargers2491.5740.5900.4620.4580.0560.2890.12013.51016.257
N.Y. Giants2501.4320.5480.4200.4200.0360.2200.11211.76014.704
Cincinnati2551.4980.5410.4550.4590.0350.2670.15712.66716.306
Detroit2491.4980.5700.4620.4380.0240.2930.14512.89216.249
New England2681.6270.5340.5490.5040.0300.2990.13413.56317.765
Arizona2491.6510.5860.5180.4980.0360.3330.14114.12418.398
Kansas City2671.4910.5540.4490.4340.0450.2730.15012.98514.041
Dallas2541.4720.4800.4920.4650.0280.3150.11812.39015.150
San Francisco2631.3190.4680.3460.4680.0380.2850.14810.95813.932
Pittsburgh2571.5060.5600.4900.4160.0230.2450.10912.42418.525
Buffalo2531.2810.4350.3990.4150.0240.2690.14611.11915.261
Washington2461.3740.4630.4150.4510.0370.2640.12211.51614.126
Las Vegas2451.4240.5140.3960.4490.0570.3140.15512.19617.698
N.Y. Jets2491.3450.4300.4260.4500.0280.2570.11611.33715.273
New Orleans2581.2440.3840.4110.4340.0160.2290.08510.29512.942
Philadelphia2571.4280.5370.4400.4160.0190.2490.10912.40517.078
Chicago2471.3970.4740.4050.4820.0280.2790.16211.88715.360
Indianapolis2561.6250.6370.4380.5230.0270.3520.15613.94919.746
LA Rams2541.2360.4290.3820.3980.0280.2360.13010.26814.071
Miami2461.3860.5690.3700.4190.0240.2240.14211.73616.305
Tennessee2501.4120.4680.3760.5160.0400.3400.15211.52814.496
Carolina2501.3600.4480.4040.4600.0440.2600.11211.51614.176