The NFL coin toss happens approximately three minutes before the game kicks off at the center of the field . The coin toss decides which team receives the kickoff to start the game or defend a specific goal.
Here’s how the NFL coin toss works
- The referee, with captains (limit of six) from both teams, meets at midfield.
- The visiting team’s captain calls “heads” or “tails” before the coin is flipped.
- The coin is tossed into the air, rotating edge-over-edge.
- The coin lands on the ground (unless conditions warrant the referee catching it).
- The team that wins the toss (correctly called heads or tails) has four choices:
– Receive: Kick off to the other team.
– Kick: Receive the kickoff from the other team.
– Defer: Defer their choice to the second half. If they defer, the losing team of the toss then chooses whether to receive or kick.
– Field Direction: Choose which goal line their team will defend in the first quarter.
- Before 2008, teams nearly always elected to receive the ball to start the game after winning the coin toss.
- After the 2008 rule change allowing teams to defer, deferring became the most popular option.
- By the 2018 season, winning teams deferred 92% of the time.
- The Kansas City Chiefs won the coin toss in Super Bowl 57 and Super Bowl 58, deferring in Super Bowl 57 and winning the game both times.
- Prior to Super Bowl 57, the team that won the coin toss had lost the game in eight straight Super Bowls.
- Over the last ten Super Bowls, tails has won the toss six times.
- Despite some theories about slight biases, a coin toss is generally considered a 50/50 proposition.
Do they flip a coin in the NFL?
While the Super Bowl is played at a neutral site each year, there are still “home” and “away” teams. Just like all other NFL games, the away team gets to choose between heads and tails for the opening coin toss.
What are the NFL coin toss rules?
Thanks for asking. While in the air the captain must make his choice and call.
The coin must land on the ground flat. Once it has done so, a choice between 4 typical options is presented to the captain who won the toss. They are: Kick, Receive, Defer and Field Direction.
What did the Chiefs coin toss for the Super Bowl?
The Kansas City Chiefs were the away team for Super Bowl 59. That meant they got to call the toss on Sunday. And they were correct with Chris Jones’ choice of tails. The Chiefs won the toss and opted to defer for those of you who might have an interest in these things.
Who calls the coin flip NFL?
As per current NFL rules, the captains of both teams meet at the 50-yard line before kickoff to decide who will start with the ball. The visiting team’s captain traditionally gets to call “heads” or “tails” as the referee flips the coin.