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 (3715), Defensive Holding (2749), Roughing the Passer (1527), Illegal Contact (892), Illegal Use of Hands (795), Face Mask (15 Yards) (771), Unsportsmanlike Conduct (317), Personal Foul (237), Horse Collar Tackle (233), Taunting (120), Face Mask (109), Lowering the Head to Initiate Contact (70), Tripping (32), 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	246	1.667	0.549	0.520	0.533	0.053	0.321	0.167	13.785	17.244
Cleveland	239	1.418	0.435	0.469	0.452	0.059	0.285	0.121	11.782	15.000
Minnesota	247	1.538	0.526	0.429	0.530	0.036	0.320	0.138	12.182	17.514
Tampa Bay	244	1.529	0.607	0.447	0.434	0.033	0.270	0.152	13.250	18.324
Green Bay	258	1.628	0.523	0.481	0.578	0.031	0.314	0.136	13.357	19.442
Jacksonville	242	1.512	0.525	0.471	0.467	0.045	0.273	0.128	12.707	16.669
Houston	247	1.381	0.498	0.417	0.433	0.020	0.267	0.109	11.522	15.130
Seattle	257	1.323	0.494	0.385	0.397	0.039	0.257	0.128	11.300	15.708
Denver	247	1.619	0.518	0.486	0.563	0.040	0.336	0.142	13.462	18.324
Baltimore	255	1.388	0.431	0.467	0.451	0.031	0.282	0.141	11.757	17.898
LA Chargers	243	1.588	0.597	0.465	0.461	0.058	0.296	0.123	13.667	16.333
N.Y. Giants	245	1.449	0.555	0.420	0.429	0.037	0.224	0.114	11.886	14.837
Cincinnati	249	1.506	0.550	0.454	0.458	0.036	0.269	0.161	12.767	16.390
Detroit	240	1.513	0.575	0.458	0.450	0.025	0.300	0.150	12.950	16.417
New England	262	1.660	0.546	0.561	0.511	0.031	0.305	0.137	13.866	18.153
Arizona	244	1.660	0.590	0.525	0.504	0.033	0.336	0.143	14.258	18.545
Kansas City	257	1.490	0.556	0.444	0.436	0.047	0.268	0.148	12.953	14.109
Dallas	248	1.464	0.484	0.500	0.448	0.024	0.302	0.113	12.367	15.077
San Francisco	254	1.327	0.469	0.350	0.472	0.035	0.291	0.150	11.079	14.098
Pittsburgh	250	1.520	0.568	0.488	0.424	0.024	0.248	0.112	12.544	18.772
Buffalo	246	1.297	0.443	0.407	0.415	0.024	0.268	0.142	11.248	15.602
Washington	241	1.373	0.456	0.419	0.456	0.033	0.266	0.120	11.494	14.124
Las Vegas	240	1.438	0.525	0.400	0.446	0.058	0.313	0.150	12.325	17.871
N.Y. Jets	243	1.358	0.440	0.428	0.449	0.029	0.259	0.115	11.465	15.395
New Orleans	252	1.254	0.389	0.417	0.433	0.016	0.222	0.083	10.345	13.060
Philadelphia	250	1.452	0.548	0.448	0.420	0.020	0.252	0.112	12.620	17.456
Chicago	242	1.409	0.479	0.409	0.483	0.029	0.281	0.165	12.041	15.624
Indianapolis	250	1.616	0.640	0.428	0.520	0.028	0.344	0.156	13.864	19.596
LA Rams	247	1.227	0.425	0.381	0.393	0.028	0.231	0.126	10.150	13.757
Miami	239	1.397	0.573	0.368	0.427	0.025	0.230	0.146	11.891	16.477
Tennessee	244	1.430	0.480	0.377	0.520	0.041	0.340	0.148	11.602	14.660
Carolina	244	1.365	0.451	0.406	0.463	0.045	0.258	0.107	11.541	14.266