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 (3968), Defensive Holding (2917), Roughing the Passer (1615), Illegal Contact (953), Illegal Use of Hands (844), Face Mask (15 Yards) (771), Unsportsmanlike Conduct (324), Horse Collar Tackle (245), Personal Foul (237), Face Mask (167), Taunting (125), Lowering the Head to Initiate Contact (70), Tripping (34), 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	256	1.473	0.512	0.414	0.504	0.031	0.301	0.148	12.203	16.445
Minnesota	262	1.355	0.489	0.382	0.443	0.042	0.282	0.145	11.775	15.500
Cleveland	256	1.457	0.477	0.488	0.445	0.039	0.293	0.168	12.199	17.445
Dallas	264	1.530	0.527	0.492	0.455	0.038	0.284	0.140	12.822	15.572
Carolina	260	1.281	0.454	0.392	0.404	0.027	0.254	0.112	10.750	14.642
Cincinnati	266	1.316	0.421	0.432	0.429	0.023	0.259	0.147	11.301	14.609
Arizona	259	1.498	0.564	0.502	0.413	0.019	0.255	0.131	12.992	16.216
Tennessee	260	1.462	0.550	0.435	0.423	0.050	0.277	0.135	12.746	17.000
San Francisco	273	1.440	0.451	0.451	0.513	0.026	0.322	0.172	12.359	16.055
LA Chargers	259	1.405	0.459	0.375	0.510	0.046	0.317	0.139	11.695	14.876
Baltimore	273	1.645	0.579	0.535	0.458	0.059	0.267	0.132	14.007	18.179
Pittsburgh	267	1.326	0.438	0.476	0.356	0.045	0.199	0.112	11.195	15.457
Washington	257	1.331	0.502	0.397	0.389	0.039	0.214	0.105	11.019	15.214
Atlanta	263	1.247	0.426	0.369	0.414	0.023	0.240	0.095	10.449	13.734
N.Y. Giants	260	1.265	0.435	0.388	0.396	0.042	0.265	0.123	10.777	14.404
Las Vegas	255	1.769	0.667	0.486	0.576	0.035	0.400	0.184	15.467	19.482
Indianapolis	267	1.266	0.431	0.393	0.412	0.019	0.232	0.101	10.161	13.715
Chicago	257	1.226	0.354	0.401	0.436	0.031	0.222	0.078	9.619	14.996
Denver	264	1.606	0.587	0.485	0.508	0.019	0.326	0.114	13.663	17.216
LA Rams	264	1.390	0.496	0.405	0.439	0.038	0.280	0.140	11.845	15.295
Green Bay	276	1.254	0.478	0.355	0.388	0.022	0.217	0.091	10.116	13.453
Philadelphia	267	1.449	0.483	0.434	0.502	0.022	0.315	0.172	12.300	15.592
Houston	266	1.568	0.489	0.545	0.492	0.038	0.301	0.150	13.023	18.534
Kansas City	277	1.513	0.552	0.394	0.523	0.032	0.303	0.159	12.592	16.213
Seattle	272	1.529	0.500	0.449	0.551	0.022	0.346	0.151	12.794	16.985
Detroit	259	1.741	0.625	0.479	0.591	0.035	0.328	0.151	14.610	18.552
New England	279	1.344	0.491	0.401	0.434	0.011	0.265	0.108	11.305	15.401
Tampa Bay	262	1.408	0.584	0.378	0.385	0.053	0.221	0.115	12.168	14.775
New Orleans	269	1.788	0.591	0.587	0.535	0.067	0.312	0.119	14.848	20.026
Buffalo	264	1.523	0.583	0.451	0.451	0.034	0.314	0.140	12.883	16.030
N.Y. Jets	260	1.681	0.585	0.450	0.577	0.050	0.369	0.204	14.238	18.912
Jacksonville	259	1.398	0.571	0.363	0.429	0.031	0.255	0.112	11.768	16.375