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 (3875), Defensive Holding (2853), 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 (144), 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
Atlanta	257	1.654	0.549	0.514	0.529	0.051	0.319	0.163	13.700	17.101
Cleveland	251	1.394	0.442	0.450	0.442	0.056	0.283	0.127	11.665	14.705
Minnesota	257	1.553	0.525	0.436	0.537	0.039	0.323	0.144	12.284	17.673
Tampa Bay	257	1.521	0.595	0.436	0.447	0.035	0.288	0.160	13.175	18.222
Green Bay	271	1.605	0.517	0.465	0.579	0.030	0.317	0.133	13.144	19.336
Jacksonville	253	1.506	0.534	0.466	0.458	0.043	0.269	0.126	12.676	16.656
Houston	260	1.381	0.500	0.419	0.431	0.019	0.269	0.115	11.600	14.827
Seattle	267	1.348	0.509	0.390	0.397	0.041	0.255	0.127	11.506	15.966
Denver	258	1.574	0.508	0.465	0.547	0.043	0.326	0.140	13.070	17.957
Baltimore	267	1.356	0.416	0.461	0.442	0.030	0.273	0.139	11.438	17.356
LA Chargers	253	1.561	0.585	0.458	0.455	0.055	0.289	0.119	13.387	16.099
N.Y. Giants	255	1.424	0.545	0.412	0.424	0.035	0.220	0.110	11.651	14.573
Cincinnati	260	1.504	0.554	0.454	0.450	0.035	0.262	0.154	12.677	16.300
Detroit	253	1.490	0.573	0.458	0.431	0.024	0.289	0.142	12.814	16.170
New England	273	1.619	0.527	0.549	0.502	0.029	0.297	0.132	13.509	17.736
Arizona	254	1.642	0.583	0.520	0.492	0.035	0.331	0.138	14.071	18.232
Kansas City	271	1.498	0.557	0.446	0.439	0.048	0.273	0.151	13.059	14.137
Dallas	259	1.483	0.475	0.506	0.467	0.027	0.317	0.116	12.486	15.166
San Francisco	268	1.321	0.463	0.343	0.478	0.037	0.295	0.149	10.944	13.910
Pittsburgh	262	1.523	0.565	0.500	0.420	0.023	0.248	0.111	12.565	18.786
Buffalo	258	1.271	0.442	0.391	0.407	0.023	0.264	0.143	11.078	15.085
Washington	251	1.375	0.458	0.414	0.454	0.040	0.267	0.124	11.490	14.143
Las Vegas	250	1.436	0.524	0.396	0.452	0.056	0.320	0.156	12.340	17.760
N.Y. Jets	254	1.339	0.421	0.421	0.457	0.028	0.260	0.122	11.236	15.287
New Orleans	262	1.237	0.378	0.408	0.435	0.015	0.233	0.088	10.271	12.905
Philadelphia	261	1.421	0.529	0.444	0.414	0.019	0.249	0.107	12.318	16.893
Chicago	252	1.417	0.472	0.417	0.492	0.028	0.294	0.171	12.099	15.552
Indianapolis	261	1.613	0.640	0.433	0.513	0.027	0.345	0.153	13.897	19.521
LA Rams	259	1.247	0.432	0.390	0.398	0.027	0.236	0.127	10.332	14.402
Miami	251	1.398	0.578	0.371	0.422	0.024	0.227	0.143	11.845	16.470
Tennessee	254	1.413	0.469	0.374	0.520	0.039	0.343	0.150	11.539	14.583
Carolina	255	1.353	0.443	0.396	0.467	0.043	0.259	0.114	11.416	14.067