After a disastrous coin flip, Jaire Alexander is suspended by the Green Bay Packers for one game.
The action follows Alexander’s decision to participate in the coin toss prior to the Packers’ Sunday game against the Carolina Panthers, even though he is not the team captain. Alexander’s actions nearly caused a catastrophic error for a club vying for a postseason spot.
When the team captains were at midfield in the Packers’ 33-30 victory over the Panthers on the road, Alexander blew the coin toss. Alexander clarified that Green Bay’s desire to be on defense following the Packers’ toss victory—a distinct action from choosing to defer.
At that point, the referee had to explain Alexander’s selection on behalf of Green Bay. Carolina would have been the team starting the first half of the game if the referee hadn’t intervened and asked Alexander if he had truly intended to defer rather than defend.
Alexander made “a big mistake,” according to Packers head coach Matt LaFleur, in remarks made to media following the game.Alexander told reporters after the game that he wanted to be there because he’s from Charlotte, but he didn’t seem to be regretting his actions.
Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst stated in a statement upon the suspension’s announcement on Wednesday, “The decision to suspend a player is never easy and not one we take lightly.”
We regretfully have to take this decision as a result of Jaire’s pregame behavior in Carolina. As a company, we want everyone to prioritize the team,” Gutekunst continued.
“We had a wonderful talk with Jaire this morning, and even though we are unhappy, we fully expect him to learn from this as we go forward together. He is and will always be a valued member of this team, and we are excited to have him back next week.”