How penalties shape the modern game of football
On any given Sunday, the most powerful object on an NFL field isn't the football - it's a small, sand-filled, yellow nylon flag. With a single toss from an official's hand, an entire game can be flipped. Through erasing a 40-yard gain, extending stalled drives, or bailing a team out of a mistake, these small objects can leave a lasting impact on a game.
Penalties have always been a part of football since the 1940s. But in today's game, their impact feels larger than ever. Whether this perception stems from the expanded media coverage or major moments they've decided for the past decade, fans have been searching for an answer.
At its core, a penalty is a way to enforce structure in football. Infractions such as holding, false starts, and pass interference exist to maintain competitive balance and player safety across the field. But not every penalty carries the same weight. A five-yard false start hurts, but a holding call on a 50-yard run kills all momentum for the offense.
It's this imbalance in penalties that drives frustration amongst fans. Some penalties immediately stop a play, while others are judgment calls made after the action unfolds. Many penalties - especially those involving blocking or coverage - live in a gray area of interpretation. Though the rulebook defines each infraction, the enforcement of the penalty is left completely to human judgment. One official might throw a flag, while others won't.
Although NFL fans rarely agree on topics surrounding the sport, a common belief is that the league is becoming "over-officiated." Games feel longer to watch, big moments seem constantly interrupted, and social media is flooded with controversial calls from different games.
"I feel like I can barely watch or coach a game without seeing some kinda penalty."
— Memphis Hadyrich, McGuffey High School Football Coach
Hadyrich said he feels flags are polluting the game. However when looking at the data, the story becomes more nuanced.
According to NFLPenalties.com, the total penalties thrown per season actually fluctuated rather than steadily increasing. Some years like 2024 and 2015 there are noticeable strikes, while others such as 2020, there is a dip below league averages.
Data shows fluctuation in total penalties called per season rather than a steady increase. Source: NFLPenalties.com
The data also reveals an interesting shift between what penalties are called the most. When looking at the offensive side of the ball, holding and false start reign supreme. However, this isn't a coincidence. The position committing these penalties is the offensive line, a unit tasked with one of the hardest jobs in sports. Each play they must block and stop the athletic pass rushers from getting to the quarterback.
"Looking at the data here I would agree. I feel like from my own experience, the O-line gets the most penalties."
— Memphis Hadyrich, McGuffey High School Football Coach
Although the defense sees less penalties than the offense does, the consequences are drastically higher. Pass interference alone accounts for massive yardage totals every season. Simply one misjudged step or late reaction can result in a 30- to 40-yard swing. Targeting is also a lingering penalty that the defense has to worry about. Accidentally lowering your head or joining a gang-tackle can result in not only 15 yards, but also a suspension.
"It's frustrating when I mis-place my step in coverage, and next thing you know I have a 15 yard pass interference call."
— Brennen Mullens, McGuffey High School All Conference linebacker / safety
Offensive line positions lead in holding and false start penalties, while defensive backs are most frequently called for pass interference. Source: NFLPenalties.com
The most powerful element surrounding penalties isn't the data - it's the emotion.
A common topic amongst fans is that flags are thrown targeting a certain team, or that specific officiating crews throw flags at alarming rates. Though some crews do average more penalties per game, league-wide data does not consistently support bias toward or against specific teams.
One example that comes to mind for most fans is the non-pass interference call in the 2019 NFC Championship game featuring the Saints vs Rams. Late in the game, Rams cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman hit Saints WR Tommylee Lewis late, preventing a potential game-winning touchdown.
It's moments like these that force fans to become irate. It's moments like these that fans and teams remember vividly, replay endlessly, and discuss for days if not years.
Fans also believe that penalties alone can determine outcomes of the game. While flags can swing momentum, teams can do multiple things to avoid and overcome penalties. Teams who rank highly amongst penalty yards per game tend to be less disciplined. In most cases, penalties reflect habits rather than randomness.
Beyond the fans, penalties have tangible effects on how coaches and players approach the game.
For coaches, the officiating crew and penalty distribution becomes essential in game planning. While the game plan isn't formulated completely around this, different aspects will be. For example, aggressive defensive schemes that are blitz-heavy may be dialed back. Or offensive play-calling may be adjusted to protect linemen from holding. The cadence or snap timing may be simplified.
Hadyrich would say when coaching his offensive line, they spend practice time each week to ensure as little holding penalties as possible. He says how even though holding is impossible to prevent all together, working on the right technique can help mitigate them.
Coaches aren't alone in this either. Players feel it too. An aggressive defensive back may have to ease up if the officiating crew likes to look for pass interference. Linemen might be more hesitant, which leads to bad timing and a free pass rush lane for the defense. Penalties like taunting and unsportsmanlike conduct might make players play more tight instead of loose.
"Penalties really are a momentum killer. I can recall countless time where we made a big play at a critical turning point. But then a flag gets thrown and now that momentum is killed."
— Brennen Mullens, McGuffey High School All Conference linebacker / safety
Mullens also talked about his approach to the game after penalties started to occur. He said even though he doesn't only think about them, they do live in his subconscious.
As the league continues to evolve, so will penalties. Rule changes will continue to affect how crews distribute penalties across the game.
Yet, technology is also progressing, allowing leagues to dive deeper into penalties than ever before. One example of this is in the NFL, where footballs now have microchips inside of them, allowing officials to easily spot the ball in goal to go situations. In College football, the Atlantic Coastal Conference (ACC) is now allowing fans to listen in live during official review.
Changes like these are what fans have been waiting for. A clear system that provides full transparency.
Flags are frustrating, controversial, and unavoidable. They are something that we must have, but hate to see. They are a symbol that reflects the complexity of modern football.
Penalties don't ruin the game. They reveal it.
They expose players' limits, where coaches gamble, and where the rules attempt to keep order in controlled chaos. While fans may never stop arguing about flags, understanding their trends and impact brings us closer to appreciating the game as it is.