NFL Makes It Official; It’s a Coin FLIP

Is there a difference between a coin toss and a coin flip?  According to the NFL there's a big difference and they've even written it into their rule book. Starting this season every NFL game will begin with a coin flip. When the team captains meet with the referee at the center of the field before each game to determine which team kicks off, the coin must actually flip.

It was back during the NFC playoff game between Arizona and Green Bay when referee Clete Blakeman did a do-over when he determined the coin didn't actually flip prior to overtime.  So he picked it up and made sure it flipped.  But apparently there was nothing in the rulebook that said the coin had to flip.  Now it does.

That whole coin flip scene was actually pretty comical and left players, fans and broadcasters mystified.  So in the offseason the league addressed the issue.

Some people think the whole coin flip process is a bit antiquated.  There's a home team and visiting team.  Why not give the home team for each game the right to determine whether they want to kickoff, receive the opening kickoff or defer their choice to the second half?  How is the home team determined in the Super Bowl?  NFC and AFC alternate each year.  The AFC is the home team in odd-numbered years.  The NFC is home team in even-numbered years.