NFL Football Penalties By Category
Below is a list of NFL football penalties by category and their results of what happens when they are called during a game.
5 Yard NFL Penalties
| Penalty | Definition | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Defensive Holding | When a defensive player holds onto an opposing player by their uniform rather than only push blocking, preventing them from moving in a certain direction. | 5 Yards |
| Defensive Offside | When a defensive player is over the line of scrimmage at the time of the snap. | 5 Yards |
| Delay Of Game | Called on a team when a play is not started after a set amount of time has passed, usually when the play clock expires. | 5 Yards |
| Delay Of Kickoff | When a team commits a delay of game penalty during a kickoff. | 5 Yards |
| Encroachment | When a defensive player illegally crosses the line of scrimmage before the snap and makes contact with an opposing player or has a clear path to the quarterback. | 5 Yards |
| Excess Timeouts | When one or multiple players have prolonged or excessive celebrations. | 5 Yards, 15 Yards |
| False Start | When an offensive player begins moving before the ball is snapped. | 5 Yards |
| Illegal Contact | When a player makes contact with an opposing player when they are not allowed to contact at that time. | 5 yards, Automatic 1st Down |
| Illegal Formation | When players are lined up in an illegal formation at the time of the snap. | 5 Yards |
| Illegal Forward Handoff | When a forward handoff occurs following a forward pass. | 5 Yards |
| Illegal Forward Pass | When a second forward pass occurs following a forward pass, or when the passer is beyond the line of scrimmage at the time of the throw. | 5 Yards, Loss of Down |
| Illegal Kick And Kicking Loose Ball | When a player kicks the ball when it is loose or a player kicks the ball when they are not allowed to make contact with the ball. | 5 Yards |
| Illegal Motion | When a player moves or shifts before the ball is snapped in an illegal way. | 5 Yards |
| Illegal Shift | When a player shifts illegally before the ball is snapped. This is similar to an illegal formation. | 5 Yards |
| Illegal Snap | When a snap is done incorrectly (doesn’t start on the ground, is not one continuous motion, is snapped before the officials are in position, or is snapped to an ineligible receiver) | 5 Yards |
| Illegal Substitution | When a player is substituted into the game while play is live or interferes with the game. | 5 Yards |
| Illegal Touching of a Forward Pass | When the ball is touched illegally after a forward pass. Only eligible receivers can touch a forward pass before any other member of the offense. | 5 Yards |
| Illegal Use Of Hands | When a player's hands make contact with an opposing player's face-area forcefully during an attempt to make or get around a block. | 10 Yards (Offense), 5 Yards and Automatic 1st Down (Defense) |
| Ineligible Downfield Kick | When a player other than the two players at the end of the line of scrimmage crosses the line of scrimmage prior to the kick/punt. | 5 Yards |
| Ineligible Downfield Pass | When a forward pass is completed to an ineligible downfield receiver. An ineligible downfield receiver is any player who did not line up off of the line of scrimmage, such as the offensive guards and tackles. | 5 Yards |
| Invalid Fair Catch Signal | When a player calling a fair catch does not correctly make the fair catch signal. | 5 Yards |
| Neutral Zone Infraction | When a defensive player illegally enters the neutral zone around the line of scrimmage prior to the snap. | 5 Yards |
| Offensive Offside | When an offensive player illegally crosses the neutral zone around the line of scrimmage prior to the snap. | 5 Yards |
| Offside On Free Kick | When a player is offside during a free kick or kickoff. | 5 Yards |
| Pass Interference | When a player hinders another player from catching the ball. | 10 Yards (Offense), 5 Yards Automatic 1st Down (Defense) |
| Player Out Of Bounds On Kick | When a player illegally re-enters the playing field after stepping out of bounds on the kickoff. | 5 Yards |
| Running Into The Kicker | When a player makes contact with the kicker's plant leg on a kick or punt. Similar to roughing the kicker. | 5 Yards |
| Sideline Infraction | When a player or coach steps out of the restricted area or across the sideline during a game. | 5 Yards (2nd Time), 15 Yards (3rd Time) |
| Too Many Men On Field | When the team on offense or defense has more than the allowed 11 (12 in the CFL) men on the field. | 5 Yards |
10 Yard NFL Penalties
| Penalty | Definition | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Assisting The Runner | Pulling or pushing a runner in a certain direction. | 10 Yards |
| Illegal Bat | When a player purposely swats the ball when it is loose in any direction out of the end zone. | 10 Yards |
| Illegal Block Above The Waist | When a player blocks an opposing player, who does not have the ball, from behind and above the waist. | 10 Yards |
| Illegal Block In The Back | When a player blocks an opponent in the back above the waist, or pushes their opponent to move them while not in close-line play. | 10 yards |
| Illegal Use Of Hands | When a player's hands make contact with an opposing player's face-area forcefully during an attempt to make or get around a block. | 10 Yards (Offense), 5 Yards and Automatic 1st Down (Defense) |
| Intentional Grounding | When the passer intentionally throws the ball incomplete while under pressure from the defense in order to avoid a sack. | 10 Yards, Loss of Down |
| Offensive Holding | When an offensive player holds a defensive player illegally. Holding occurs when a player grabs an opposing player by the jersey of the uniform to prevent them from moving in a certain direction. | 10 Yards |
| Offensive Pass Interference | When an offensive player performs an illegal action against a defensive player to prevent a pass from being defended properly, such as pushing the player. | 10 Yards |
| Pass Interference | When a player hinders another player from catching the ball. | 10 Yards (Offense), 5 Yards Automatic 1st Down (Defense) |
| Tripping | When a player purposely trips an opposing player. | 10 Yards, Automatic 1st Down |
15 Yard NFL Penalties
| Penalty | Definition | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Blocking a Kicking Team Player Out of Bounds | When a receiving player blocks a kick from out of bounds. | 15 Yards |
| Chop Block | When two players block the same defensive player one above and below the thigh. | 15 Yards |
| Clipping | When a player blocks or falls into an opposing player from behind below the knees. | 15 Yards |
| Defenseless Player | When a player makes unnecessary contact against a player who is in a defenseless position. | 15 Yards |
| Disconcerting Acts or Signals | Using words to disconcert the offensive team during the snap. | 15 Yards |
| Disqualification | When a player’s actions result in that player being removed from the game | 15 Yards |
| Excessive Celebration | When a team calls an excess team timeout or calls two timeouts in the same dead ball period. | 15 Yards |
| Excess Timeouts | When one or multiple players have prolonged or excessive celebrations. | 5 Yards, 15 Yards |
| Facemask | When a player grabs an opposing player by the facemask. | 15 Yards |
| Fair Catch Interference | When a player on the kicking team touches an opposing return player who has called a fair catch on the ball or if the ball is touched before being caught by the player who called for a fair catch. | Loss of Ball, 15 Yards |
| Forcibly Contacting a Player Out of Bounds | When a player hits the runner forcibly once they are out of bounds. | 15 Yards |
| Goaltending | When a player jumps to deflect a kicked ball as it goes over the crossbar. | 15 Yards |
| Horse Collar | When a player grabs an opposing player from behind by the back collar of the uniform, under the padding, and pulls the player straight down off of their feet. | 15 Yards |
| Illegal Blindside Block | When a player blocks an opposing player while that player is unable to see the incoming blocker, and thus being defenseless. | 15 Yards |
| Illegal Block After Fair Catch Signal | When the receiving team blocks a player of the kicking team before the ball is touched on a fair catch. | 15 Yards |
| Illegal Block Below the Waist | When a player blocks another player below their waist during a kick or change of possession. | 15 yards |
| Illegal Crackback | When a player runs laterally across the field and blocks a defenseless player below the waist. | 15 Yards |
| Illegal Cut Block | When a player blocks an opposing player by diving into their knees from the front. | 15 Yards |
| Illegal Double Team Block | When two or more players who were not lined up together on the set-up line block an opponent at the same time. | 15 Yards |
| Illegal Peel Back | When a player blocks an opposing player from the side and below the waist. | 15 Yards |
| Illegal Wedge | When two or more players line up shoulder to shoulder less than two yards apart to perform a block. | 15 Yards |
| Kick Catch Interference | When a player makes contact with an opposing player who is receiving a kick before the ball becomes live. | 15 Yards |
| Leaping | When a player jumps over the line of scrimmage in an attempt to tackle a player or block a kick and they make contact with a player on the opposing team prior or simultaneously as the snap. | 15 Yards, Automatic 1st down |
| Leverage | When a player gets a boost over the line of scrimmage in an attempt to tackle a player or block a kick and they make contact with a player on the opposing team prior or simultaneously as the snap. | 15 Yards |
| Low Block | When a player performs an illegal block that is below the waist of a player on the opposing team. | 15 Yards |
| Removal of the Helmet | When a player removes their helmet during a celebration or confrontation. | 15 Yards |
| Roughing the Holder | If a defensive player comes into forcible contact with the holder. | 15 Yards, Automatic 1st Down |
| Roughing The Kicker | When a player makes contact with the kicker's plant leg on a kick or punt. | 15 Yards, Automatic 1st Down |
| Roughing The Passer | When a defensive player makes harsh contact with the passer after the ball has been released for an allotted time. | 15 Yards, Automatic 1st Down |
| Sideline Infraction | When a player or coach steps out of the restricted area or across the sideline during a game. | 5 Yards (2nd Time), 15 Yards (3rd Time) |
| Striking, Kicking, or Kneeing an Opponent | When a player strikes, kicks, or knees an opponent. | 15 Yards, Automatic 1st Down |
| Taunting | When a player taunts the opposing team or an opposing player. | 15 Yards, Automatic 1st Down |
| Unnecessary Physical Contact With Game Official | When rough contact is made towards an official. | 15 Yards, Automatic 1st Down |
| Unnecessary Roughness | When rough contact is made towards an opposing player when deemed unnecessary. | 15 Yards, Automatic 1st Down |
| Unsportsmanlike Conduct | When a player violates the rule of general sportsmanship. | 15 Yards, Automatic 1st Down |
| Use Of Helmet | When a player lowers their helmet to make contact with an opposing player. | 15 Yards, Automatic 1st Down |
Automatic First Down NFL Penalties
| Penalty | Definition | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Illegal Contact | When a player makes contact with an opposing player when they are not allowed to contact at that time. | 5 yards, Automatic 1st Down |
| Illegal Use Of Hands | When a player's hands make contact with an opposing player's face-area forcefully during an attempt to make or get around a block. | 10 Yards (Offense), 5 Yards and Automatic 1st Down (Defense) |
| Leaping | When a player jumps over the line of scrimmage in an attempt to tackle a player or block a kick and they make contact with a player on the opposing team prior or simultaneously as the snap. | 15 Yards, Automatic 1st down |
| Pass Interference | When a player hinders another player from catching the ball. | 10 Yards (Offense), 5 Yards Automatic 1st Down (Defense) |
| Roughing the Holder | If a defensive player comes into forcible contact with the holder. | 15 Yards, Automatic 1st Down |
| Roughing The Kicker | When a player makes contact with the kicker's plant leg on a kick or punt. | 15 Yards, Automatic 1st Down |
| Roughing The Passer | When a defensive player makes harsh contact with the passer after the ball has been released for an allotted time. | 15 Yards, Automatic 1st Down |
| Striking, Kicking, or Kneeing an Opponent | When a player strikes, kicks, or knees an opponent. | 15 Yards, Automatic 1st Down |
| Taunting | When a player taunts the opposing team or an opposing player. | 15 Yards, Automatic 1st Down |
| Tripping | When a player purposely trips an opposing player. | 10 Yards, Automatic 1st Down |
| Unnecessary Physical Contact With Game Official | When rough contact is made towards an official. | 15 Yards, Automatic 1st Down |
| Unnecessary Roughness | When rough contact is made towards an opposing player when deemed unnecessary. | 15 Yards, Automatic 1st Down |
| Unsportsmanlike Conduct | When a player violates the rule of general sportsmanship. | 15 Yards, Automatic 1st Down |
| Use Of Helmet | When a player lowers their helmet to make contact with an opposing player. | 15 Yards, Automatic 1st Down |
Loss of Down NFL Penalties
| Penalty | Definition | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Illegal Forward Pass | When a second forward pass occurs following a forward pass, or when the passer is beyond the line of scrimmage at the time of the throw. | 5 Yards, Loss of Down |
| Intentional Grounding | When the passer intentionally throws the ball incomplete while under pressure from the defense in order to avoid a sack. | 10 Yards, Loss of Down |
Loss of Ball NFL Penalties
| Penalty | Definition | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Fair Catch Interference | When a player on the kicking team touches an opposing return player who has called a fair catch on the ball or if the ball is touched before being caught by the player who called for a fair catch. | Loss of Ball, 15 Yards |
Spot of The Foul NFL Penalties
| Penalty | Definition | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Defensive Pass Interference | When a defensive player disrupts an opposing player's attempt to catch a pass. | Spot of the Foul |
| Illegal Touching of a Kick | When an illegal touch of the ball occurs after a kick. | Spot of the Foul |
Suspension / Fine NFL Penalties
| Penalty | Definition | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Equipment Violation | When a player wears prohibited equipment or does not wear required equipment. | Suspension, Fine |
| Palpably Unfair Act | An illegal action that referees deem to have deprived a team from scoring. | Suspension, Fine |