Jaire Alexander will sit out for the Green Bay Packers’ big Week 17 game against the Minnesota Vikings for quite the comical reason.
During the Packers’ latest matchup against the Carolina Panthers on Christmas Eve, Alexander nearly cost Green Bay the game before the game even began. In his return to the field after spending the last six weeks out with a shoulder injury, Alexander joined the Packers’ captains for the customary coin toss before the game.
The problem? Alexander wasn’t a captain and therefore shouldn’t have been out there for the coin toss. Not only that, when the Packers won the coin flip, Alexander told the referees that Green Bay wanted to go on defense, a move that would have allowed the Panthers to have the ball to start the first and second halves due to the wording. The referees then asked Alexander if he meant to say “defer” and the cornerback agreed, rectifying the problem and avoiding a possibly disastrous mistake for the Packers.
After the game, Alexander explained his reasoning for running on the field to call the coin toss, stating it made sense for him to be out there because he grew up in Charlotte.
Jaire Alexander was not announced as a team captain but went out for the coin toss and called it anyways (video via @mattschneidman):pic.twitter.com/BGFH0lEJ97
— Underdog NFL (@Underdog__NFL) December 27, 2023
Not only that, after the game, Alexander posted a photo of the coin toss to his Instagram, throwing even more fuel on the fire after his pregame mistake.
https://t.co/7FT74vjO5U pic.twitter.com/Vyii0BWjKI
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 27, 2023
Then finally on Wednesday, the Packers suspended Alexander one game for “conduct detrimental to the team”. Overall, an incredibly bizarre sequence of events after Alexander went rogue on the team to make himself the centerpiece of his return to the field and to his hometown.
NFL fans could not help but joke about Alexander’s one-game suspension and the ridiculousness of it all afterwards.
has there ever been a funnier suspension than this Jaire Alexander one?
— Gregg Rosenthal (@greggrosenthal) December 27, 2023
Jaire Alexander pic.twitter.com/gIAoxGK5FI
— Jeremy Layton (@JeremyLayt0n) December 27, 2023
Jaire Alexander walking out for the coin toss in Carolina pic.twitter.com/37FMFZokl0
— Nicole Pinter (Greg Dortch fan club President) (@nicole_pinter6) December 27, 2023
I’m guessing the IG post is what really did it. https://t.co/lAJkwy3ExU
— Sam Dekker (@dekker) December 27, 2023
The Packers captains when they see Jaire Alexander on the field for the coin toss. pic.twitter.com/BKyv1aUXEJ
— Brendan Sugrue (@BrendanSugrue) December 27, 2023
Ok I’m sorry but a lot happens in the early window on Sunday and I had no clue about this Jaire Alexander coin toss situation until right now and I think it’s the funniest thing that’s happened all year?
— David Helman (@davidhelman_) December 27, 2023
Jaire Alexander going out for the coin toss as a non-captain
— Ian Hartitz (@Ihartitz) December 27, 2023
This is a Key and Peele skit https://t.co/pvXxwlF8Xq
— kyle (@Ky1eLong) December 27, 2023
😂😂 this is wild https://t.co/9qX5ipY9Sl
— Geoff Schwartz (@geoffschwartz) December 27, 2023
