Why Do NFL Teams Defer After Winning the Coin Toss?

Aug 24

2 min read

Updated: Oct 10

An NFL team that wins the coin toss can defer its first choice to the second half. It usually does so to receive the kickoff after halftime and preserve the possibility of scoring just before and just after the break.

Part of Football 101. Explore the guide to choose your next topic.

NFL teams usually defer because it preserves the winner’s right to choose at the start of the second half. In practice, the team lets its opponent receive the opening kickoff, then chooses to receive when the third quarter begins.

Deferring does not create an extra possession. It controls the order of choices for the start of the halves.

The normal sequence

Team A wins and defers. Team B then chooses to receive the opening kickoff. Team A chooses which goal to defend. At halftime, Team A has the first option and ordinarily chooses to receive; Team B chooses its goal.

The kickoff result is still governed by ordinary rules. Winning the choice to receive does not guarantee possession after a legal onside recovery or another unusual kickoff result.

Why kick and defer are different

Choosing to kick is an immediate choice for the opening half. It does not save the first choice for the second half. The opponent can then choose to receive after halftime as well.

That is why the captain’s words matter. The referee establishes the actual selection rather than treating every request to begin on defense as a perfectly clear deferral.

The attraction of consecutive scoring chances

Suppose a team earns a late second quarter possession, scores near halftime and then receives to open the third. It can put together consecutive offensive scoring drives around the break without the opposing offense running a play between them.

The late possession must still be earned and managed. The two minute warning, remaining timeouts and the opponent’s possessions affect whether that opportunity exists. Deferring alone does not guarantee a double score.

Why a coach might receive first

An offense may want to use its opening script immediately, establish an early lead or respond to a specific matchup. Wind and anticipated conditions can also affect the value of choosing a goal.

There is no rule that the strategically correct choice is always defer. The choice gives a coach a timing option, not automatic scoring efficiency.

When watching the toss, listen for the selected option, then identify who has the first choice after halftime. That is more reliable than assuming every team receives once simply because that is the usual sequence.