Who Has The Most Penalties In The NFL?

We all know that the NFL can be a pretty rough sport. But do you know which players rack up the most penalties? Check out our list of the top 10 most penalized NFL players of all time.

The NFL’s History of Penalties

Football is a sport of inches and milliseconds. To some, it is a sport of brute force and animalistic aggression. To others, it is a sport of strategy and finesse. Regardless of how you view the sport, one thing is for sure: penalties are a huge part of the game.

The NFL’s first season

The NFL’s first season was plagued by rough play and unsportsmanlike conduct. In an effort to clean up the game, the league introduced a series of penalties. The most common penalty, “Unnecessary Roughness,” was called more than any other penalty in the NFL’s first season. Other popular penalties included “Slugging,” “Tripping,” and “Holding.”

The first Super Bowl

The first Super Bowl was played on January 15, 1967. The Green Bay Packers defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 35-10.

The game was not without its share of penalties, with the Packers being called for 12 penalties totaling 100 yards, and the Chiefs being called for 7 penalties totaling 65 yards.

Interestingly, the first Super Bowl was also the first NFL game to ever be broadcast in color.

The NFL’s Most Penalized Teams

The team that has had the most penalties called against them this season is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They have had 103 penalties called against them, which is 20 more than the second most penalized team. The team that has been penalized the least this season is the New England Patriots, with just 43 penalties called against them.

The Oakland Raiders

The Oakland Raiders have been one of the most penalized teams in the NFL for years. They have had the most penalties in the NFL four times in the past five seasons, and they led the league in penalty yards last season.

The Raiders’ Cascade of Penalties began in 2012, when they had an astounding 140 penalties, which was 32 more than any other team. That total included 23 personal fouls, which was also the most in the NFL.

In 2013, the Raiders again led the NFL in penalties, with 123. They also led the league in penalty yards (1,358), and their 23 personal fouls were tied for second-most with the Detroit Lions.

In 2014, Oakland had 119 penalties, which was third-most in the league. However, their 1,310 penalty yards were second only to the Dallas Cowboys. The Raiders also had 20 personal fouls, which was tied for sixth-most.

Last season, Oakland had 114 penalties, which was fifth-most in the NFL. However, their 1,271 penalty yards were once again second only to Dallas. The Raiders also had 19 personal fouls, which was tied for seventh-most.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been one of the most penalized teams in the NFL over the past few years. In 2017, they were penalized a total of 144 times, which was the second-highest total in the league. They were also flagged for a league-high 20 penalties in 2016.

The New England Patriots

Since 2000, the New England Patriots have been penalized more times than any other team in the NFL. In that time, they’ve racked up 1,351 penalties for 11,618 yards—an average of 79.5 yards per game.

The NFL’s Most Penalized Players

In the NFL, some players rack up more penalties than others. This can be due to a number of factors, such as playing style, position, or simply bad luck. Whatever the reason, these players end up costing their team yards and sometimes even points. Who are the most penalized players in the NFL?

Richard Sherman

Richard Sherman is an American football cornerback for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Stanford, and was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the fifth round of the 2011 NFL Draft. He has been selected to six Pro Bowls, led the league in interceptions in 2013, and is a three-time All-Pro.

In his seven NFL seasons, Sherman has been penalized 140 times, which is the most of any player during that span. He has also been suspended two times for a total of four games.

Ndamukong Suh

Ndamukong Suh has been one of the most dominant defensive forces in the NFL since he was drafted by the Detroit Lions in 2010. He’s a five-time Pro Bowler, and he was named the AP Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2010. He’s also been one of the most penalized players in the NFL, racking up 160 penalties (including postseason) in his career.

Most of Suh’s penalties have been for personal fouls, including roughing the passer and unnecessary roughness. He’s also been flagged for taunting and several other infractions. In 2012, he was suspended for two games after stepping on Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ leg.

Despite his reputation as a dirty player, Suh has been voted as one of the NFL’s top 100 players every year since 2013 by his peers. He currently plays for the Los Angeles Rams.

Tom Brady

Tom Brady is one of the most accomplished quarterbacks in NFL history, but he’s also been one of the most penalized players. Brady has been flagged 178 times in his career, which is the fifth-most among all players since he entered the league in 2000. He’s also been penalized 16 times in the playoffs, which is the most among all players in that time frame.