Flags were thrown on 3,499 plays in the NFL throughout the 2020 season, with 2,989 of those being accepted for a total of 25,828 yards. That’s 14.7 miles’ worth of penalty flags, which is slightly longer than the driving distance between MetLife Stadium and the Barclays Center (13.2 miles).
Penalties represent the hidden value that is overlooked by general passing and rushing statistics. Nestled beneath the Xs-and-Os game at the forefront of the sport is the rule-following battle: Who breaks the rules less often?
There are a lot of yards to be won and lost here. Oftentimes, a team can outplay its opponent on an overall level but lose the game because the opponent did a much better job of staying disciplined and avoiding penalties.