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 (3877), Defensive Holding (2854), Roughing the Passer (1588), Illegal Contact (930), Illegal Use of Hands (826), Face Mask (15 Yards) (771), Unsportsmanlike Conduct (320), Horse Collar Tackle (242), Personal Foul (237), Face Mask (146), Taunting (124), Lowering the Head to Initiate Contact (70), Tripping (33), Lowering the Head to Make Forcible Contact (4), 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
Miami	251	1.482	0.510	0.418	0.510	0.032	0.303	0.151	12.283	16.645
Minnesota	257	1.350	0.486	0.381	0.440	0.043	0.276	0.144	11.700	15.455
Cleveland	251	1.474	0.482	0.490	0.454	0.040	0.299	0.171	12.307	17.558
Dallas	259	1.537	0.525	0.490	0.463	0.039	0.290	0.143	12.865	15.680
Carolina	255	1.282	0.451	0.392	0.408	0.027	0.259	0.114	10.765	14.537
Cincinnati	260	1.312	0.427	0.431	0.419	0.023	0.250	0.142	11.242	14.458
Arizona	254	1.508	0.571	0.508	0.409	0.020	0.256	0.130	13.114	16.366
Tennessee	254	1.425	0.547	0.425	0.402	0.047	0.256	0.122	12.362	16.772
San Francisco	269	1.439	0.442	0.457	0.513	0.026	0.320	0.171	12.331	16.045
LA Chargers	253	1.411	0.458	0.375	0.518	0.043	0.320	0.142	11.802	14.949
Baltimore	267	1.629	0.573	0.528	0.461	0.052	0.270	0.127	13.891	18.094
Pittsburgh	262	1.332	0.431	0.481	0.363	0.046	0.202	0.115	11.225	15.523
Washington	251	1.323	0.494	0.402	0.386	0.036	0.215	0.104	10.932	15.143
Atlanta	257	1.249	0.424	0.370	0.416	0.023	0.241	0.097	10.447	13.817
N.Y. Giants	255	1.275	0.431	0.392	0.404	0.043	0.271	0.125	10.851	14.514
Las Vegas	250	1.772	0.668	0.492	0.572	0.036	0.400	0.180	15.448	19.532
Indianapolis	261	1.276	0.433	0.398	0.414	0.019	0.234	0.100	10.238	13.943
Chicago	252	1.246	0.361	0.405	0.444	0.032	0.226	0.079	9.750	15.274
Denver	258	1.597	0.585	0.484	0.500	0.019	0.322	0.112	13.566	17.198
LA Rams	259	1.402	0.502	0.409	0.440	0.039	0.278	0.135	11.927	15.317
Green Bay	271	1.262	0.480	0.362	0.391	0.022	0.218	0.092	10.207	13.642
Philadelphia	261	1.460	0.490	0.437	0.502	0.023	0.318	0.172	12.410	15.659
Houston	260	1.573	0.488	0.542	0.504	0.035	0.308	0.154	13.027	18.642
Kansas City	272	1.507	0.555	0.401	0.507	0.033	0.290	0.158	12.581	16.143
Seattle	268	1.511	0.489	0.444	0.549	0.022	0.340	0.153	12.616	16.903
Detroit	253	1.735	0.628	0.466	0.593	0.036	0.328	0.150	14.455	18.482
New England	273	1.333	0.484	0.407	0.425	0.011	0.264	0.110	11.216	15.421
Tampa Bay	257	1.401	0.580	0.377	0.381	0.054	0.218	0.117	12.136	14.790
New Orleans	263	1.791	0.589	0.586	0.540	0.068	0.319	0.122	14.901	20.011
Buffalo	258	1.531	0.589	0.450	0.453	0.035	0.318	0.143	12.981	16.225
N.Y. Jets	254	1.673	0.575	0.441	0.591	0.047	0.378	0.205	14.146	18.807
Jacksonville	253	1.391	0.569	0.364	0.423	0.032	0.249	0.111	11.700	16.490