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 (4353), Defensive Holding (3131), Roughing the Passer (1730), Illegal Contact (1061), Illegal Use of Hands (902), Face Mask (15 Yards) (771), Unsportsmanlike Conduct (346), Horse Collar Tackle (255), Face Mask (249), Personal Foul (237), Taunting (138), Lowering the Head to Initiate Contact (70), Tripping (41), 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	283	1.650	0.541	0.512	0.537	0.049	0.318	0.155	13.625	17.081
Cleveland	277	1.415	0.448	0.455	0.458	0.051	0.292	0.123	11.841	14.733
Minnesota	284	1.581	0.560	0.433	0.528	0.042	0.320	0.141	12.620	17.937
Tampa Bay	284	1.577	0.602	0.468	0.461	0.039	0.289	0.162	13.599	18.602
Green Bay	298	1.577	0.500	0.460	0.577	0.027	0.305	0.124	12.809	19.225
Jacksonville	279	1.484	0.545	0.448	0.444	0.043	0.269	0.129	12.724	16.351
Houston	288	1.389	0.503	0.417	0.431	0.024	0.274	0.125	11.760	14.632
Seattle	294	1.357	0.517	0.395	0.388	0.048	0.238	0.119	11.486	15.830
Denver	285	1.530	0.495	0.467	0.512	0.046	0.305	0.126	12.653	17.263
Baltimore	295	1.353	0.434	0.451	0.434	0.027	0.264	0.136	11.542	16.925
LA Chargers	281	1.566	0.577	0.470	0.459	0.053	0.285	0.121	13.409	16.260
N.Y. Giants	281	1.477	0.559	0.413	0.445	0.053	0.235	0.125	12.160	15.416
Cincinnati	286	1.535	0.584	0.469	0.430	0.042	0.255	0.147	12.839	16.664
Detroit	281	1.434	0.544	0.431	0.427	0.025	0.292	0.132	12.288	15.423
New England	299	1.602	0.512	0.545	0.492	0.043	0.294	0.140	13.492	17.288
Arizona	280	1.625	0.575	0.507	0.493	0.039	0.329	0.132	13.789	18.118
Kansas City	301	1.495	0.561	0.439	0.442	0.043	0.279	0.153	13.086	14.588
Dallas	285	1.544	0.481	0.537	0.491	0.025	0.323	0.130	12.895	16.018
San Francisco	294	1.313	0.476	0.344	0.459	0.034	0.289	0.143	10.949	13.616
Pittsburgh	289	1.512	0.554	0.484	0.433	0.024	0.260	0.107	12.464	18.540
Buffalo	287	1.321	0.456	0.394	0.425	0.038	0.275	0.139	11.436	15.397
Washington	280	1.414	0.457	0.425	0.471	0.050	0.271	0.139	11.729	14.614
Las Vegas	276	1.406	0.496	0.399	0.453	0.051	0.319	0.156	12.000	17.116
N.Y. Jets	280	1.332	0.421	0.414	0.454	0.032	0.261	0.125	11.254	15.314
New Orleans	289	1.260	0.377	0.433	0.433	0.017	0.228	0.097	10.602	13.014
Philadelphia	292	1.394	0.510	0.438	0.411	0.021	0.253	0.116	12.038	16.507
Chicago	278	1.388	0.460	0.406	0.478	0.032	0.288	0.169	11.813	14.892
Indianapolis	287	1.596	0.620	0.453	0.498	0.024	0.345	0.160	13.969	19.721
LA Rams	288	1.292	0.441	0.406	0.417	0.028	0.250	0.125	10.587	14.465
Miami	277	1.329	0.560	0.339	0.404	0.022	0.217	0.137	11.329	15.585
Tennessee	281	1.416	0.480	0.377	0.502	0.046	0.338	0.149	11.630	14.349
Carolina	281	1.367	0.438	0.399	0.470	0.050	0.260	0.121	11.377	14.128