Automatic First Downs

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.

"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 (314), Defensive Holding (175), Roughing the Passer (127), Illegal Contact (59), Face Mask (15 Yards) (53), Illegal Use of Hands (31), Lowering the Head to Initiate Contact (31), and Tripping (1)

Scroll left and right for additional columns.

Team	Offensive Plays	Total	Yardage Mitigated	Penalty Yards
Kansas City	1252	0.019	0.180	0.174
Seattle	1079	0.021	0.193	0.259
Atlanta	1078	0.032	0.260	0.310
Buffalo	1216	0.025	0.231	0.289
N.Y. Jets	948	0.026	0.217	0.315
Miami	1019	0.028	0.210	0.333
Cleveland	1146	0.018	0.158	0.196
Detroit	990	0.032	0.300	0.333
Indianapolis	1109	0.024	0.210	0.276
Jacksonville	997	0.018	0.136	0.195
Tampa Bay	1282	0.037	0.295	0.524
New Orleans	1180	0.022	0.185	0.229
Arizona	1082	0.019	0.149	0.167
San Francisco	1046	0.024	0.228	0.305
Las Vegas	1102	0.023	0.167	0.330
Carolina	990	0.022	0.191	0.238
Dallas	1110	0.017	0.132	0.164
N.Y. Giants	965	0.021	0.182	0.147
Tennessee	1077	0.024	0.175	0.266
Minnesota	1024	0.026	0.203	0.281
Denver	1095	0.025	0.177	0.290
Washington	1120	0.019	0.126	0.169
Pittsburgh	1127	0.027	0.217	0.421
Cincinnati	1038	0.019	0.154	0.204
Philadelphia	1066	0.035	0.283	0.473
Green Bay	1131	0.019	0.122	0.222
Houston	939	0.014	0.128	0.176
LA Chargers	1126	0.028	0.208	0.319
Chicago	1091	0.016	0.148	0.233
New England	979	0.022	0.226	0.212
LA Rams	1209	0.012	0.084	0.127
Baltimore	1130	0.012	0.104	0.160