The Green Bay Packers suspended cornerback Jaire Alexander for one game on Wednesday after he crashed the pre-game coin-toss at Carolina on Sunday and nearly botched it.
After the Packers won the toss, Alexander made what coach Matt LaFleur called “a big mistake” when he told referee Alex Kemp he wanted to be on defense, rather than saying he wanted to defer the choice.
Deferring allows the team that wins the toss to have the ball to start the second half.
Simply choosing to be “on defense” to start the first half could have let the Panthers have the valuable first possession in both the first and second halves.
“That’s something that you review with the guys before they go out there every time about ‘Hey, we win the toss, we’re going to defer,'” LaFleur said.
Because of mistakes in the past, LaFleur said he always tells the game officials what he plans before the team captains handle the coin toss.
Alexander hadn’t been briefed by the team because he wasn’t actually selected as one of the Packers’ three captains for the game.
But he walked out with Aaron Jones, Quay Walker and Eric Wilson and called tails to win the toss.
Alexander said the fact that he’s from Charlotte, North Carolina, made it “only suiting” that he serve in the role, but on Wednesday the Packers suspended him for “conduct detrimental to the team.”
“The decision to suspend a player is never easy and not one we take lightly,” general manager Brian Gutekunst said in a statement. “Unfortunately, Jaire’s actions prior to the game in Carolina led us to take this step.
“While we are disappointed, we had a good conversation with Jaire this morning and fully expect him to learn from this as we move forward together. We look forward to welcoming him back next week as he is a valued member of this team and will continue to be in the future.”
Alexander a two-time Pro Bowler, has played in only six games this season because of injuries.
He had four tackles and forced a fumble in Sunday’s victory over the Panthers.
The Packers will be without him when they take on the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday. Green Bay go into the contest at 7-8 and still with a slim chance of gaining a playoff berth.
