It seems so simple, right?
An NFL game starts with a coin toss, one team calls whether it’ll be heads or tails and that helps decide who gets to receive the football in the first half or second.
The last five teams to win the toss — the Los Angeles Rams, New England Patriots, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers and Seattle Seahawks — have lost their respective Super Bowl games. Learn more on Super Bowl MVP betting here.) Coin Flip, Mahomes Combo for Props (Photo by Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images) Speaking of prop bets for your 30% allocation to props, a lot of fans like to start with the coin toss. It’s not a “great” bet per se, but it’s one of the highest volume props on Super Bowl Sunday.
But it’s NOT that simple, and we have proof: back in December, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott told referee Walt Anderson that the team would defer to the second half after winning the toss. But Anderson misheard him and said the Los Angeles Rams would get the ball in the first and second halves.
It was eventually corrected and Prescott made sure to say “DEFER” loud and clear a week later.
So what are the coin toss rules as Super Bowl LIV approaches? Here they are, from the NFL:
Not more than three minutes before the kickoff of the first half, the Referee, in the presence of both team’s captains (limit of six per team, active, inactive or honorary) shall toss a coin at the center of the field. Prior to the Referee’s toss, the call of “heads” or “tails” must be made by the captain of the visiting team, or by the captain designated by the Referee if there is no home team. Unless the winner of the toss defers his choice to the second half, he must choose one of two privileges, and the loser is given the other.
The two privileges are:
(a) The opportunity to receive the kickoff, or to kick off; or
(b) The choice of goal his team will defend.
If the coin does not turn over in the air or the toss is compromised in any way, the Referee shall toss it again. The captain’s original call may not be changed.
Penalty: For failure to comply: Loss of coin-toss option for both halves and overtime, and loss of 15 yards from the spot of the kickoff for the first half only.
There you have it. Hopefully, whoever says their decision does so loud and clear.
Super Bowl LI in Houston is just hours away, and the New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons are going through the final stages of preparation as they gear up to take the field.
Super Bowl 50 Who Won Coin Toss Machine
For the past two weeks, analysts, fans and pundits alike have speculated rampantly about which team has the advantage and who will ultimately finish the day with the Lombardi Trophy in hand.
But one thing which many people have not discussed ad nauseam is the pregame coin toss.
If you look at the overall record of coin toss winners over the course of the last 50 Super Bowls, the numbers aren’t that impressive, with teams who have won the coin toss having a record of just 24-26.
But things have changed a bit since 2008, when the NFL added the option to defer the choice to receive the kickoff until the second half. Since then, seven of eight teams who have won the Super Bowl coin toss chose to defer until the second half.
Super Bowl 50 Who Won Coin Toss Game
The only team not to defer? The 2009 New Orleans Saints, who famously opened up the second half of Super Bowl XLIV with a successful onside kick against the Indianapolis Colts.
Super Bowl 50 Coin Toss
The Patriots, as we know, love to defer until the second half, but it’ll be interesting to see if they take that route again today, should they win the toss. Atlanta has scored an opening touchdown in their last eight games, so New England may want to set the tone early by giving Brady the ball.