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 (4128), Defensive Holding (2996), Roughing the Passer (1662), Illegal Contact (981), Illegal Use of Hands (868), Face Mask (15 Yards) (771), Unsportsmanlike Conduct (336), Horse Collar Tackle (252), Personal Foul (237), Face Mask (198), 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
Atlanta	270	1.648	0.541	0.507	0.537	0.052	0.315	0.156	13.533	17.104
Cleveland	264	1.409	0.447	0.458	0.447	0.053	0.288	0.125	11.784	14.845
Minnesota	271	1.587	0.550	0.443	0.535	0.041	0.317	0.140	12.561	18.148
Tampa Bay	271	1.535	0.601	0.439	0.450	0.037	0.288	0.155	13.229	18.251
Green Bay	286	1.591	0.503	0.458	0.587	0.028	0.318	0.129	12.979	19.276
Jacksonville	266	1.462	0.523	0.451	0.444	0.041	0.263	0.124	12.335	16.135
Houston	275	1.364	0.480	0.411	0.433	0.025	0.273	0.124	11.484	14.636
Seattle	280	1.354	0.504	0.386	0.404	0.050	0.250	0.125	11.407	15.943
Denver	272	1.555	0.511	0.467	0.526	0.040	0.313	0.132	12.908	17.643
Baltimore	282	1.362	0.429	0.465	0.433	0.028	0.262	0.135	11.560	17.156
LA Chargers	268	1.575	0.586	0.466	0.459	0.056	0.287	0.123	13.489	16.332
N.Y. Giants	268	1.440	0.549	0.407	0.429	0.049	0.216	0.108	11.769	14.933
Cincinnati	273	1.527	0.575	0.462	0.443	0.037	0.264	0.154	12.846	16.553
Detroit	268	1.459	0.552	0.451	0.429	0.022	0.291	0.134	12.575	15.802
New England	286	1.615	0.521	0.552	0.493	0.038	0.290	0.136	13.538	17.545
Arizona	267	1.644	0.592	0.509	0.494	0.037	0.333	0.135	14.037	18.258
Kansas City	288	1.493	0.563	0.441	0.434	0.045	0.271	0.146	12.986	14.226
Dallas	272	1.511	0.493	0.507	0.478	0.026	0.324	0.121	12.761	15.463
San Francisco	281	1.320	0.477	0.338	0.470	0.036	0.292	0.146	10.993	13.883
Pittsburgh	276	1.514	0.562	0.493	0.420	0.025	0.246	0.112	12.536	18.688
Buffalo	274	1.303	0.456	0.394	0.416	0.029	0.274	0.142	11.361	15.328
Washington	268	1.403	0.463	0.422	0.466	0.045	0.272	0.138	11.743	14.418
Las Vegas	263	1.403	0.506	0.388	0.449	0.053	0.319	0.156	12.030	17.297
N.Y. Jets	267	1.348	0.427	0.416	0.464	0.030	0.266	0.124	11.303	15.386
New Orleans	276	1.236	0.380	0.402	0.435	0.018	0.228	0.091	10.261	12.822
Philadelphia	279	1.398	0.509	0.448	0.409	0.018	0.251	0.111	12.100	16.573
Chicago	265	1.400	0.468	0.404	0.483	0.034	0.287	0.174	11.947	15.257
Indianapolis	274	1.599	0.624	0.445	0.504	0.026	0.343	0.153	13.901	19.690
LA Rams	274	1.263	0.434	0.398	0.405	0.026	0.248	0.128	10.496	14.387
Miami	264	1.367	0.572	0.356	0.413	0.023	0.220	0.140	11.648	16.076
Tennessee	268	1.422	0.478	0.381	0.515	0.037	0.343	0.149	11.690	14.608
Carolina	268	1.358	0.437	0.399	0.466	0.049	0.257	0.123	11.381	14.261