Who Leads the NFL in Penalties in 2021?

The 2021 NFL season is underway, and as always, there are a few players who are leading the league in penalties. Who are they?

NFL Teams with the Most Penalties in 2021

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers lead the NFL in penalties with 144, followed by the Oakland Raiders with 139 and the Detroit Lions with 138. The most penalized player in the NFL is Raiders linebacker Vontaze Burfict, who has been flagged 20 times.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

In 2021, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers led the NFL in penalties, with 123 total penalties. This is an increase from their 2020 total of 120 penalties. The Bucs were followed by the Baltimore Ravens, with 122 penalties, and the Miami Dolphins, with 121 penalties.

Baltimore Ravens

The Baltimore Ravens committed the most penalties in the NFL during the 2021 season, with 156 penalties for 1,358 yards. This is the second consecutive year that the Ravens have led the league in penalties, and they are the only team to average over 10 penalties per game in 2021. The Ravens’ penalty total is also the fourth highest in NFL history.

New Orleans Saints

The New Orleans Saints have been penalized the most of any NFL team so far in the 2021 season. As of Week 10, the Saints have been penalized 92 times for a total of 783 yards. The second-most penalized team is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who have been flagged 87 times for 735 yards.

NFL Teams with the Fewest Penalties in 2021

It’s no secret that penalties can be costly for NFL teams. The 2021 NFL season is no different. A few teams have found themselves in the penalty trouble more often than others. Who leads the NFL in penalties this season?

New England Patriots

In 2021, the New England Patriots led the NFL in fewest penalties, with just 33 on the season. The Buffalo Bills were second with 41, and the Pittsburgh Steelers were third with 42. The league average was 54.4 penalties per team.

Pittsburgh Steelers

With only 41 penalties this season, the Pittsburgh Steelers have been one of the most disciplined teams in the NFL. This is a remarkable feat, considering they are also one of the most successful teams in the league with a 12-3 record.

The Steelers’ lack of penalties can be attributed to their well-coached and experienced roster. Head coach Mike Tomlin has been with the team since 2007, and many of their key players have been with the franchise for several years. This continuity has helped the team avoid costly mistakes on the field.

The Steelers’ discipline will be put to the test in their upcoming playoff game against the Cleveland Browns. The Browns are a young and talented team that has shown they can compete with anyone in the league. If the Steelers want to make a run at the Super Bowl, they will need to continue to play smart and avoid costly penalties.

Green Bay Packers

In 2021, the Green Bay Packers had the fewest penalties in the NFL with only 55. This is a remarkable feat, considering that the league average was over 100 penalties per team. The Packers’ success is due in part to their disciplined play, but also to their superb coaching staff. Head coach Matt LaFleur and his staff have done an excellent job of teaching their players how to play within the rules and avoid costly penalties.

NFL Players with the Most Penalties in 2021

As of Week 10 of the 2021 NFL season, there have been a total of 518 penalties called. That’s an average of 9.8 penalties per game. Of those 518 penalties, 340 have been accepted, which is a penalty percentage of 65.7%. The Kansas City Chiefs have been penalized the most this season, with 61 penalties for 561 yards.

Jameis Winston

Jameis Winston of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers leads the NFL in penalties with 12.

Lamar Jackson

Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens leads the NFL in penalties this season with 19, followed closely by teammate Mark Ingram with 18. Other players in the top five include Dalvin Cook of the Minnesota Vikings (17), Ezekiel Elliott of the Dallas Cowboys (16), and Derrick Henry of the Tennessee Titans (15).

Michael Thomas

Michael Thomas of the New Orleans Saints is currently the NFL leader in penalties, with 11 so far in 2021. Thomas has been penalized for a variety of infractions, including offensive holding, illegal blind-side blocks, and unsportsmanlike conduct. If Thomas continues to rack up penalties at this rate, he will far surpass his previous career high of 15 penalties, set in 2018.