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 (4140), Defensive Holding (3007), Roughing the Passer (1670), Illegal Contact (986), Illegal Use of Hands (870), Face Mask (15 Yards) (771), Unsportsmanlike Conduct (337), Horse Collar Tackle (253), Personal Foul (237), Face Mask (200), Taunting (129), Lowering the Head to Initiate Contact (70), Tripping (34), Lowering the Head to Make Forcible Contact (5), Roughing the Kicker (1), and Clipping (1)

Scroll left and right for additional columns.

Team	Games	Total	1st Down	2nd Down	3rd Down	4th Down	3rd & Long	Desperation	Yardage Mitigated	Penalty Yards
Miami	265	1.464	0.506	0.423	0.491	0.034	0.294	0.147	12.313	16.185
Minnesota	272	1.346	0.493	0.371	0.441	0.040	0.283	0.147	11.724	15.456
Cleveland	265	1.453	0.491	0.483	0.434	0.038	0.287	0.162	12.219	17.362
Dallas	273	1.516	0.516	0.495	0.447	0.040	0.278	0.143	12.667	15.473
Carolina	269	1.279	0.454	0.390	0.405	0.026	0.249	0.112	10.721	14.606
Cincinnati	274	1.343	0.431	0.434	0.445	0.022	0.266	0.146	11.482	14.821
Arizona	268	1.493	0.560	0.500	0.407	0.022	0.250	0.127	12.918	16.127
Tennessee	269	1.468	0.546	0.435	0.435	0.048	0.286	0.141	12.747	17.108
San Francisco	282	1.429	0.443	0.447	0.511	0.028	0.319	0.170	12.202	15.823
LA Chargers	268	1.407	0.463	0.381	0.496	0.052	0.310	0.138	11.787	14.754
Baltimore	283	1.654	0.569	0.527	0.470	0.074	0.269	0.138	13.982	18.413
Pittsburgh	277	1.318	0.437	0.473	0.354	0.043	0.202	0.112	11.141	15.303
Washington	268	1.384	0.504	0.414	0.418	0.045	0.231	0.112	11.396	15.888
Atlanta	271	1.229	0.428	0.358	0.406	0.022	0.236	0.096	10.369	13.649
N.Y. Giants	269	1.286	0.428	0.398	0.416	0.041	0.286	0.134	10.985	14.981
Las Vegas	263	1.753	0.650	0.487	0.570	0.042	0.392	0.179	15.247	19.468
Indianapolis	275	1.276	0.433	0.404	0.411	0.018	0.233	0.098	10.211	13.713
Chicago	266	1.229	0.353	0.402	0.436	0.030	0.222	0.075	9.639	15.297
Denver	273	1.608	0.601	0.484	0.498	0.018	0.322	0.110	13.707	17.330
LA Rams	275	1.378	0.491	0.400	0.436	0.040	0.280	0.145	11.778	15.164
Green Bay	286	1.248	0.469	0.346	0.395	0.024	0.213	0.091	9.962	13.315
Philadelphia	280	1.450	0.486	0.429	0.504	0.021	0.314	0.175	12.314	15.654
Houston	275	1.564	0.498	0.538	0.487	0.036	0.298	0.145	13.062	18.382
Kansas City	289	1.498	0.554	0.391	0.505	0.035	0.291	0.156	12.471	16.090
Seattle	281	1.520	0.498	0.441	0.548	0.025	0.345	0.149	12.676	17.068
Detroit	269	1.747	0.625	0.480	0.595	0.037	0.331	0.149	14.647	18.457
New England	287	1.341	0.488	0.404	0.432	0.010	0.265	0.105	11.275	15.449
Tampa Bay	271	1.421	0.587	0.380	0.395	0.052	0.225	0.122	12.266	14.937
New Orleans	277	1.765	0.588	0.570	0.534	0.065	0.314	0.119	14.661	19.718
Buffalo	275	1.520	0.567	0.465	0.451	0.033	0.309	0.135	12.836	15.771
N.Y. Jets	268	1.701	0.590	0.451	0.582	0.060	0.373	0.201	14.328	19.034
Jacksonville	267	1.404	0.569	0.367	0.427	0.037	0.251	0.112	11.809	16.577