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 (4141), Defensive Holding (3008), Roughing the Passer (1670), Illegal Contact (989), Illegal Use of Hands (872), Face Mask (15 Yards) (771), Unsportsmanlike Conduct (337), Horse Collar Tackle (253), Personal Foul (237), Face Mask (201), 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	271	1.646	0.542	0.506	0.535	0.052	0.314	0.155	13.520	17.059
Cleveland	265	1.404	0.445	0.457	0.445	0.053	0.287	0.125	11.740	14.789
Minnesota	272	1.581	0.548	0.441	0.533	0.040	0.316	0.140	12.515	18.081
Tampa Bay	272	1.544	0.603	0.449	0.449	0.037	0.287	0.154	13.316	18.294
Green Bay	286	1.591	0.503	0.458	0.587	0.028	0.318	0.129	12.979	19.276
Jacksonville	267	1.461	0.524	0.449	0.442	0.041	0.262	0.124	12.326	16.131
Houston	276	1.366	0.482	0.413	0.431	0.025	0.272	0.123	11.489	14.620
Seattle	281	1.349	0.502	0.384	0.402	0.050	0.249	0.125	11.367	15.886
Denver	273	1.568	0.513	0.473	0.531	0.040	0.319	0.132	12.982	17.711
Baltimore	283	1.364	0.431	0.466	0.431	0.028	0.261	0.134	11.622	17.155
LA Chargers	269	1.569	0.584	0.465	0.457	0.056	0.286	0.123	13.439	16.271
N.Y. Giants	269	1.439	0.550	0.405	0.428	0.048	0.216	0.108	11.762	14.955
Cincinnati	274	1.529	0.577	0.460	0.442	0.040	0.263	0.153	12.854	16.602
Detroit	269	1.454	0.550	0.450	0.428	0.022	0.290	0.134	12.528	15.743
New England	287	1.613	0.519	0.554	0.491	0.038	0.289	0.136	13.578	17.502
Arizona	268	1.642	0.590	0.507	0.496	0.037	0.332	0.134	14.004	18.332
Kansas City	289	1.491	0.561	0.439	0.436	0.045	0.273	0.149	12.986	14.228
Dallas	273	1.520	0.491	0.516	0.480	0.026	0.322	0.121	12.846	15.681
San Francisco	282	1.326	0.479	0.337	0.475	0.035	0.298	0.149	11.060	13.904
Pittsburgh	277	1.513	0.560	0.491	0.422	0.025	0.249	0.112	12.513	18.639
Buffalo	275	1.313	0.455	0.393	0.425	0.033	0.284	0.145	11.447	15.382
Washington	268	1.403	0.463	0.422	0.466	0.045	0.272	0.138	11.743	14.418
Las Vegas	264	1.405	0.504	0.390	0.451	0.053	0.322	0.155	12.023	17.280
N.Y. Jets	268	1.343	0.425	0.414	0.463	0.030	0.265	0.123	11.261	15.328
New Orleans	277	1.238	0.379	0.401	0.440	0.018	0.231	0.094	10.285	12.812
Philadelphia	280	1.400	0.514	0.446	0.407	0.018	0.250	0.111	12.129	16.586
Chicago	266	1.398	0.466	0.402	0.485	0.034	0.289	0.173	11.929	15.248
Indianapolis	275	1.604	0.633	0.444	0.502	0.025	0.342	0.153	13.960	19.775
LA Rams	275	1.265	0.433	0.404	0.404	0.025	0.247	0.127	10.498	14.364
Miami	265	1.362	0.570	0.355	0.411	0.023	0.219	0.140	11.604	16.015
Tennessee	269	1.420	0.480	0.379	0.513	0.037	0.342	0.149	11.684	14.606
Carolina	269	1.368	0.435	0.401	0.468	0.052	0.257	0.123	11.435	14.305