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 (4338), Defensive Holding (3119), Roughing the Passer (1728), Illegal Contact (1055), Illegal Use of Hands (898), Face Mask (15 Yards) (771), Unsportsmanlike Conduct (346), Horse Collar Tackle (254), Face Mask (245), Personal Foul (237), Taunting (136), Lowering the Head to Initiate Contact (70), Tripping (40), 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	282	1.652	0.539	0.514	0.539	0.050	0.319	0.156	13.621	17.124
Cleveland	276	1.420	0.449	0.457	0.460	0.051	0.293	0.123	11.884	14.786
Minnesota	283	1.580	0.555	0.435	0.530	0.042	0.322	0.141	12.615	17.936
Tampa Bay	283	1.558	0.597	0.459	0.456	0.039	0.286	0.159	13.452	18.491
Green Bay	297	1.576	0.498	0.461	0.576	0.027	0.306	0.125	12.805	19.155
Jacksonville	278	1.482	0.540	0.450	0.446	0.043	0.270	0.129	12.662	16.378
Houston	287	1.390	0.502	0.418	0.432	0.024	0.275	0.125	11.767	14.599
Seattle	292	1.360	0.521	0.390	0.390	0.048	0.240	0.120	11.497	15.904
Denver	284	1.535	0.496	0.468	0.514	0.046	0.306	0.127	12.697	17.324
Baltimore	294	1.357	0.435	0.452	0.435	0.027	0.265	0.136	11.582	16.983
LA Chargers	280	1.564	0.571	0.471	0.461	0.054	0.286	0.121	13.386	16.282
N.Y. Giants	280	1.471	0.554	0.411	0.446	0.054	0.236	0.125	12.107	15.407
Cincinnati	285	1.537	0.586	0.467	0.432	0.042	0.256	0.147	12.860	16.705
Detroit	280	1.436	0.546	0.432	0.429	0.021	0.293	0.132	12.318	15.468
New England	298	1.607	0.513	0.547	0.493	0.044	0.295	0.141	13.537	17.346
Arizona	279	1.627	0.577	0.509	0.495	0.036	0.330	0.133	13.821	18.165
Kansas City	300	1.500	0.563	0.440	0.443	0.043	0.280	0.153	13.130	14.637
Dallas	284	1.546	0.479	0.539	0.493	0.025	0.324	0.130	12.905	16.032
San Francisco	293	1.311	0.474	0.341	0.461	0.034	0.290	0.143	10.935	13.608
Pittsburgh	288	1.510	0.552	0.486	0.431	0.024	0.257	0.108	12.465	18.545
Buffalo	286	1.318	0.458	0.395	0.420	0.038	0.276	0.140	11.444	15.381
Washington	279	1.416	0.455	0.427	0.473	0.050	0.272	0.140	11.735	14.606
Las Vegas	275	1.411	0.498	0.400	0.455	0.051	0.320	0.156	12.044	17.178
N.Y. Jets	279	1.333	0.419	0.416	0.455	0.032	0.262	0.125	11.258	15.315
New Orleans	288	1.250	0.375	0.427	0.431	0.017	0.226	0.094	10.431	12.944
Philadelphia	291	1.388	0.512	0.436	0.405	0.021	0.251	0.117	12.027	16.430
Chicago	277	1.390	0.462	0.408	0.477	0.032	0.289	0.170	11.848	14.928
Indianapolis	286	1.598	0.622	0.455	0.497	0.024	0.343	0.161	13.990	19.759
LA Rams	286	1.290	0.444	0.402	0.416	0.028	0.252	0.126	10.608	14.531
Miami	276	1.333	0.562	0.341	0.406	0.022	0.217	0.138	11.370	15.641
Tennessee	280	1.418	0.482	0.379	0.500	0.046	0.336	0.150	11.643	14.382
Carolina	280	1.371	0.439	0.400	0.471	0.050	0.261	0.121	11.418	14.179