How many yards is the penalty in the NFL for using a helmet as a weapon?

How many yards is the penalty in the NFL for using a helmet as a weapon? It is a fifteen-yard penalty. The NFL treats deliberately using a helmet as a striking weapon as a major safety violation, and the rule also calls for automatic disqualification.

The prohibited conduct includes using a helmet that is no longer worn by anyone to strike, swing at, or throw at an opponent. The broader helmet-safety rules also penalize forcible helmet contact in dangerous situations, reflecting the league's effort to reduce high-impact collisions and protect players from head and neck injuries.

The yardage is only part of the consequence. A 15-yard enforcement can substantially change field position, while automatic disqualification removes the player from the game. The foul should not be confused with an ordinary legal tackle in which a player's helmet happens to make incidental contact. Officials distinguish normal football contact from intentionally lowering or using the helmet in a manner that constitutes a weapon.