Super Bowl 2024 coin toss rules, explained: How deferring works and more

Editor’s note: This story was originally published in 2023 and has been updated.

The coin toss seems like it should be the most simple part of a football game, right?

Every NFL game starts with one of these. A team calls heads or tails, and that will decide who gets to receive the football on the opening kickoff of each half of the game. Sounds easy enough.

But there’s a lot more that goes into it. It’s an essential part of how any game plays out. One wrong move from a team captain, and that squad could start slow or go into the half without the ball down a few scores. If an official mishears a player? It could throw everything off.

It’s happened before. Back in 2019 year, 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. But still, mistakes were made.

So just to make sure we’re clear now, here are the rules for the coin toss for Super Bowl LVIII, per the NFL’s rulebook:

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:

1. The opportunity to receive the kickoff, or to kick off; or
2. 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.

For the second half, the captain who lost the pregame toss is to have the first choice of the two privileges listed in (a) or (b), unless one of the teams lost its first and second half options, or unless the winner of the pregame toss deferred his choice to the second half, in which case he must choose (a) or (b) above. Immediately prior to the start of the second half, the captains of both teams must inform the Referee of their respective choices.

A captain’s first choice from any alternative privileges listed above is final and not subject to change.

There you have it, folks.