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 (3917), Defensive Holding (2876), Roughing the Passer (1599), Illegal Contact (935), Illegal Use of Hands (830), Face Mask (15 Yards) (771), Unsportsmanlike Conduct (321), Horse Collar Tackle (242), Personal Foul (237), Face Mask (149), Taunting (124), 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.

Team	Games	Total	1st Down	2nd Down	3rd Down	4th Down	3rd & Long	Desperation	Yardage Mitigated	Penalty Yards
Atlanta	259	1.649	0.544	0.514	0.529	0.050	0.317	0.162	13.629	17.069
Cleveland	253	1.391	0.439	0.451	0.443	0.055	0.285	0.126	11.632	14.735
Minnesota	259	1.548	0.521	0.440	0.533	0.039	0.320	0.143	12.290	17.575
Tampa Bay	259	1.525	0.591	0.444	0.448	0.035	0.286	0.158	13.170	18.255
Green Bay	273	1.604	0.513	0.465	0.582	0.029	0.315	0.132	13.110	19.341
Jacksonville	255	1.498	0.529	0.467	0.455	0.043	0.267	0.125	12.620	16.541
Houston	262	1.382	0.496	0.416	0.435	0.019	0.271	0.115	11.565	14.756
Seattle	269	1.353	0.509	0.390	0.401	0.041	0.257	0.126	11.543	16.022
Denver	260	1.565	0.508	0.462	0.542	0.042	0.323	0.138	13.008	17.838
Baltimore	269	1.364	0.420	0.461	0.446	0.030	0.275	0.141	11.539	17.398
LA Chargers	255	1.561	0.580	0.463	0.455	0.055	0.290	0.118	13.384	16.039
N.Y. Giants	257	1.424	0.545	0.409	0.428	0.035	0.226	0.113	11.693	14.615
Cincinnati	262	1.496	0.553	0.450	0.447	0.034	0.260	0.153	12.618	16.233
Detroit	255	1.486	0.573	0.459	0.427	0.024	0.286	0.141	12.773	16.161
New England	275	1.618	0.531	0.549	0.498	0.029	0.295	0.131	13.538	17.705
Arizona	256	1.641	0.586	0.516	0.492	0.035	0.332	0.137	14.063	18.215
Kansas City	273	1.495	0.557	0.447	0.436	0.048	0.271	0.150	13.029	14.216
Dallas	260	1.492	0.477	0.508	0.473	0.027	0.323	0.119	12.569	15.215
San Francisco	270	1.333	0.474	0.341	0.481	0.037	0.296	0.152	11.063	14.089
Pittsburgh	264	1.523	0.561	0.500	0.424	0.023	0.250	0.114	12.580	18.856
Buffalo	260	1.277	0.450	0.392	0.404	0.023	0.262	0.142	11.150	15.165
Washington	253	1.379	0.462	0.415	0.451	0.043	0.265	0.126	11.553	14.277
Las Vegas	252	1.429	0.520	0.393	0.452	0.056	0.321	0.159	12.294	17.690
N.Y. Jets	256	1.332	0.418	0.418	0.457	0.027	0.258	0.121	11.164	15.207
New Orleans	265	1.238	0.381	0.404	0.438	0.015	0.230	0.087	10.257	12.872
Philadelphia	263	1.411	0.525	0.441	0.411	0.019	0.247	0.106	12.224	16.764
Chicago	253	1.423	0.474	0.415	0.498	0.028	0.296	0.174	12.142	15.545
Indianapolis	263	1.620	0.639	0.437	0.517	0.027	0.350	0.160	14.011	19.650
LA Rams	261	1.264	0.437	0.395	0.406	0.027	0.245	0.130	10.483	14.494
Miami	252	1.393	0.575	0.369	0.421	0.024	0.226	0.143	11.798	16.405
Tennessee	256	1.418	0.469	0.379	0.520	0.039	0.344	0.152	11.609	14.586
Carolina	257	1.346	0.440	0.397	0.463	0.043	0.257	0.113	11.366	13.996