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 (4390), Defensive Holding (3157), Roughing the Passer (1743), Illegal Contact (1069), Illegal Use of Hands (910), Face Mask (15 Yards) (771), Unsportsmanlike Conduct (351), Face Mask (258), Horse Collar Tackle (256), Personal Foul (237), Taunting (140), Lowering the Head to Initiate Contact (70), Tripping (44), Lowering the Head to Make Forcible Contact (5), Roughing the Kicker (1), and Clipping (1)

Scroll left and right for additional columns.

Team	Offensive Plays	Total	Yardage Mitigated	Penalty Yards
Atlanta	48029	0.010	0.081	0.101
Cleveland	47385	0.008	0.070	0.087
Minnesota	48112	0.009	0.075	0.107
Tampa Bay	48429	0.009	0.081	0.110
Green Bay	50210	0.009	0.077	0.115
Jacksonville	47483	0.009	0.076	0.097
Houston	49310	0.008	0.070	0.087
Seattle	49684	0.008	0.069	0.094
Denver	49477	0.009	0.073	0.100
Baltimore	50614	0.008	0.068	0.099
LA Chargers	47367	0.009	0.080	0.097
N.Y. Giants	48107	0.009	0.072	0.092
Cincinnati	48772	0.009	0.076	0.099
Detroit	48252	0.008	0.072	0.090
New England	51478	0.009	0.079	0.102
Arizona	48127	0.009	0.080	0.106
Kansas City	51110	0.009	0.077	0.087
Dallas	48723	0.009	0.076	0.094
San Francisco	49397	0.008	0.065	0.081
Pittsburgh	48655	0.009	0.075	0.111
Buffalo	48753	0.008	0.068	0.092
Washington	47390	0.009	0.071	0.090
Las Vegas	47126	0.008	0.071	0.101
N.Y. Jets	47619	0.008	0.066	0.091
New Orleans	49692	0.007	0.062	0.076
Philadelphia	50637	0.008	0.070	0.096
Chicago	46743	0.008	0.071	0.089
Indianapolis	49350	0.009	0.082	0.116
LA Rams	48571	0.008	0.063	0.086
Miami	46835	0.008	0.067	0.093
Tennessee	47316	0.008	0.069	0.086
Carolina	47239	0.008	0.068	0.084