2026 NFL penalties by team: counts, yards and per-game stats

What do these penalty statistics mean?

Penalty counts and penalty yards measure different things

The count is the number of recorded statistical penalties charged to a team. Penalty yards measure recorded yardage lost through penalties. A higher count does not necessarily mean more yards lost: penalties have different enforcement distances.

How are per-game rates calculated?

Penalties per game = recorded penalties ÷ included games. Penalty yards per game = recorded penalty yards ÷ included games. All included games count in the denominator, including games with a recorded zero. Rankings use these exact ratios before rounding the displayed rate.

For example, Cleveland Browns has 43 recorded penalties across 4 included games: 43 ÷ 4 = 10.8 per game after rounding.

Does this count every flag thrown?

No. These are recorded statistical counts, not a log of every flag. This table does not separately identify declined or offsetting calls, and it cannot establish a referee’s tendencies or whether a team benefited from officiating. It also does not predict future penalties.

Which games are included?

The comparison uses completed regular-season games with matching records for both teams. Each team’s included games appear below. Missing values remain unavailable rather than becoming zero; a partial window should not be read as a full-season total. Compare team records and point differentials separately from penalties.