The Green Bay Packers suspended cornerback Jaire Alexander one game for conduct deemed detrimental to the team.
Alexander was placed on the reserve/suspended list on Wednesday and will miss Sunday night’s game against the Minnesota Vikings. He will be eligible to return for Week 18 vs. the Chicago Bears. The one-game suspension is in response to Alexander’s actions before kickoff of the Packers’ 33-30 win over the Carolina Panthers last Sunday.
“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,” said general manager Brian Gutekunst. “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 to be in the future.”
Alexander invited himself to midfield for the coin toss, called tails for the coin toss and then made a mistake after the Packers won the toss, stating he wanted the Packers defense on the field instead of deferring to the second half. The referee corrected the mistake and allowed the Packers to defer, but the procedural mistake — from a player not picked to be a game captain — could have cost the team a possession.
Coach Matt LaFleur called it a “big mistake.”
The Packers weekly captains vs. the Panthers were Aaron Jones, Quay Walker and Eric Wilson. A native of Charlotte, Alexander went out for the coin toss on his own.
Alexander, a two-time All-Pro, returned Sunday after missing six games with a shoulder injury. He will miss a matchup against Vikings All-Pro receiver Justin Jefferson on Sunday night.
The suspension hurts the Packers, who need to win out over the final two games to have a chance at making the NFC playoff field.