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
Atlanta	263	1.646	0.544	0.506	0.536	0.049	0.316	0.160	13.559	17.038
Cleveland	256	1.383	0.441	0.445	0.438	0.055	0.281	0.125	11.574	14.602
Minnesota	262	1.561	0.534	0.435	0.534	0.042	0.321	0.145	12.397	17.550
Tampa Bay	262	1.534	0.599	0.439	0.454	0.034	0.290	0.156	13.225	18.302
Green Bay	276	1.601	0.507	0.464	0.587	0.029	0.319	0.130	13.105	19.315
Jacksonville	259	1.486	0.529	0.459	0.452	0.042	0.266	0.127	12.541	16.436
Houston	266	1.383	0.492	0.421	0.432	0.023	0.267	0.117	11.613	14.793
Seattle	272	1.349	0.504	0.393	0.401	0.040	0.257	0.129	11.500	15.956
Denver	264	1.561	0.508	0.466	0.534	0.042	0.318	0.136	12.977	17.708
Baltimore	273	1.370	0.429	0.465	0.440	0.029	0.271	0.139	11.626	17.436
LA Chargers	259	1.560	0.575	0.471	0.452	0.054	0.286	0.116	13.402	16.039
N.Y. Giants	260	1.427	0.554	0.404	0.427	0.035	0.223	0.112	11.750	14.815
Cincinnati	266	1.508	0.560	0.455	0.444	0.038	0.259	0.154	12.677	16.357
Detroit	259	1.486	0.568	0.459	0.432	0.023	0.293	0.139	12.776	16.046
New England	279	1.620	0.530	0.552	0.498	0.029	0.297	0.133	13.588	17.677
Arizona	259	1.633	0.591	0.510	0.486	0.035	0.328	0.135	14.015	18.100
Kansas City	277	1.487	0.560	0.440	0.433	0.047	0.271	0.148	12.964	14.087
Dallas	264	1.496	0.485	0.504	0.473	0.027	0.322	0.121	12.617	15.186
San Francisco	273	1.337	0.480	0.341	0.480	0.037	0.297	0.150	11.084	14.062
Pittsburgh	267	1.524	0.566	0.502	0.419	0.022	0.247	0.112	12.618	18.809
Buffalo	264	1.288	0.455	0.390	0.413	0.023	0.273	0.140	11.250	15.227
Washington	257	1.389	0.467	0.424	0.447	0.043	0.261	0.125	11.638	14.475
Las Vegas	255	1.427	0.518	0.392	0.455	0.055	0.325	0.161	12.290	17.690
N.Y. Jets	260	1.342	0.427	0.412	0.462	0.031	0.262	0.123	11.235	15.312
New Orleans	269	1.227	0.379	0.398	0.431	0.019	0.227	0.086	10.152	12.714
Philadelphia	267	1.416	0.528	0.449	0.404	0.019	0.243	0.105	12.251	16.674
Chicago	257	1.409	0.467	0.409	0.494	0.031	0.292	0.171	11.984	15.405
Indianapolis	267	1.603	0.629	0.434	0.513	0.026	0.348	0.157	13.876	19.472
LA Rams	264	1.273	0.439	0.398	0.409	0.027	0.250	0.129	10.564	14.500
Miami	256	1.379	0.566	0.363	0.422	0.023	0.227	0.145	11.711	16.203
Tennessee	260	1.412	0.473	0.377	0.512	0.038	0.338	0.150	11.573	14.485
Carolina	260	1.350	0.442	0.400	0.462	0.042	0.258	0.115	11.419	14.112