Due to a mistake made by cornerback Jordan Alexander, the Green Bay Packers’ 33-30 overtime victory over the Carolina Panthers might have gone very differently, and head coach Matt LaFleur was not happy about it.
The Packers’ cornerback, who ran onto the field for the pre-game coin toss alongside teammates Aaron Jones, Eric Wilson, and Quay Walker, appointed himself an honorary captain, according to the New York Post.
Alexander informed referee Alex Kemp that the Packers preferred to play defense after the team won the toss. That’s not the same as delaying, to use coin toss terminology.
By rule, the coin toss winner may defer the decision until the second half, receive, or kickoff.”
ESPN’s Rob Demovsky writes. Alexander’s statement that they preferred to be on defense may have been taken to mean that they decided to kickoff.
Alexander described the situation as follows: “I said, ‘I want our defense to be out there,’ and they all looked at me like I was crazy.” “I mean, it’s pretty obvious what I said; I just want the defense to be made public.” “You mean defer?” they ask, and I respond, “Yeah, I guess.”
View the cornerback for the Packers’ account of what happened here.
The episode was simply one more peculiar development in Alexander’s 2023 campaign. Although he has been working out with the Packers for more than a month, he hasn’t participated in any games since November 5th due to a shoulder injury.
Regarding Alexander’s call, Packers head coach Matt LaFleur stated, “That was a big mistake.” You go over it with the players before they play each time regarding, “Hey, we win the toss, we’re going to defer.”