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 (4238), Defensive Holding (3063), Roughing the Passer (1697), Illegal Contact (1027), Illegal Use of Hands (887), Face Mask (15 Yards) (771), Unsportsmanlike Conduct (340), Horse Collar Tackle (254), Personal Foul (237), Face Mask (224), Taunting (130), Lowering the Head to Initiate Contact (70), Tripping (37), 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	270	1.478	0.519	0.422	0.493	0.033	0.296	0.148	12.459	16.233
Minnesota	276	1.330	0.489	0.366	0.435	0.040	0.279	0.145	11.591	15.283
Cleveland	270	1.448	0.493	0.474	0.437	0.037	0.293	0.163	12.207	17.267
Dallas	278	1.525	0.518	0.493	0.450	0.047	0.277	0.144	12.680	15.576
Carolina	274	1.270	0.445	0.391	0.405	0.026	0.248	0.113	10.708	14.529
Cincinnati	279	1.333	0.434	0.430	0.437	0.022	0.262	0.143	11.394	14.606
Arizona	273	1.505	0.564	0.513	0.403	0.022	0.245	0.125	13.004	16.147
Tennessee	274	1.467	0.540	0.438	0.438	0.047	0.288	0.142	12.690	17.022
San Francisco	287	1.446	0.453	0.456	0.509	0.028	0.317	0.171	12.436	15.934
LA Chargers	274	1.405	0.453	0.383	0.500	0.055	0.314	0.135	11.668	14.708
Baltimore	287	1.652	0.578	0.519	0.467	0.073	0.265	0.136	13.976	18.387
Pittsburgh	281	1.338	0.438	0.484	0.359	0.046	0.203	0.110	11.238	15.399
Washington	273	1.377	0.495	0.418	0.418	0.044	0.227	0.110	11.322	15.890
Atlanta	275	1.229	0.425	0.360	0.407	0.022	0.236	0.098	10.378	13.644
N.Y. Giants	274	1.299	0.431	0.401	0.420	0.044	0.288	0.135	11.109	15.296
Las Vegas	269	1.743	0.639	0.483	0.572	0.045	0.390	0.178	15.056	19.260
Indianapolis	280	1.286	0.436	0.404	0.414	0.021	0.232	0.096	10.261	13.804
Chicago	270	1.244	0.356	0.407	0.444	0.030	0.230	0.081	9.844	15.452
Denver	278	1.637	0.608	0.493	0.504	0.025	0.331	0.129	14.050	17.766
LA Rams	280	1.379	0.493	0.404	0.432	0.039	0.279	0.143	11.825	15.107
Green Bay	290	1.266	0.472	0.348	0.407	0.024	0.217	0.093	10.048	13.407
Philadelphia	285	1.463	0.488	0.432	0.512	0.021	0.316	0.172	12.351	15.821
Houston	280	1.571	0.511	0.539	0.482	0.036	0.296	0.143	13.207	18.361
Kansas City	294	1.503	0.554	0.388	0.510	0.037	0.299	0.167	12.582	16.092
Seattle	286	1.535	0.503	0.455	0.545	0.024	0.343	0.150	12.787	17.147
Detroit	274	1.748	0.617	0.485	0.591	0.044	0.332	0.150	14.628	18.438
New England	292	1.360	0.486	0.418	0.438	0.010	0.267	0.103	11.295	15.521
Tampa Bay	277	1.430	0.585	0.394	0.394	0.051	0.227	0.119	12.383	14.942
New Orleans	282	1.755	0.589	0.564	0.532	0.064	0.312	0.121	14.567	19.596
Buffalo	279	1.516	0.563	0.462	0.455	0.032	0.312	0.140	12.821	15.670
N.Y. Jets	273	1.689	0.586	0.451	0.575	0.059	0.370	0.201	14.304	18.945
Jacksonville	272	1.419	0.574	0.371	0.434	0.037	0.254	0.110	11.879	16.636