Packers suspend Jaire Alexander over coin-toss debacle

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Green Bay Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander joining the coin toss this past weekend might have cost him a big game.

Alexander was not named a game captain before the Packers' game against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, but the Charlotte, North Carolina, native invited himself to the coin toss before the game.

Alexander called tails, and after Green Bay won the toss, he chose to start on defense in the first half, which is not the same as deferring their choice to the second half.

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Green Bay Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander is shown in the fourth quarter of the game against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Sunday. (Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports)

By choosing to play defense instead of deferring, the Panthers could have technically been allowed to receive the kickoff at the start of each half. The referee clarified the rule to Alexander, so issues were avoided at the time.

But the Packers announced Wednesday that they were suspending Alexander for one game due to "conduct detrimental to the team."

"The decision to suspend a player is never easy and not one we take lightly. Unfortunately, Jaire's actions prior to the game in Carolina led us to take this step," general manager Brian Gutekunst said in a statement. "As an organization, we have an expectation that everyone puts the team first. 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