How many yards is the penalty in the NFL for roughing the kicker?

The NFL penalty for roughing the kicker is fifteen yards.

Roughing the kicker protects a punter or place-kick holder from dangerous contact after the kick. In the NFL, the foul generally applies when a defender contacts the kicker's plant leg while the kicking leg is still airborne, or makes prohibited contact while both feet are on the ground.

The penalty is especially costly because it includes an automatic first down, even if the offense would not otherwise have gained one. This makes roughing the kicker different from many ordinary defensive penalties. It is also distinct from running into the kicker, a lesser foul that carries a smaller penalty.

A common mix-up is confusing roughing the kicker with a five-yard or ten-yard penalty. Roughing is fifteen yards; the exact enforcement can depend on the play and the type of contact, but the standard penalty is fifteen yards and an automatic first down.