No, referee did not get Geno Smith’s coin toss call wrong

Geno Smith and the Seattle Seahawks have found themselves at the center of the latest NFL coin toss controversy, but a closer examination of what transpired at the start of overtime on Monday night proves there really should be no controversy at all.

For the second time this month, Smith was the player the Seahawks sent out to call the toss when their game against the San Francisco 49ers went to overtime. Seattle won and elected to receive, but Twitter was ablaze with people who thought Smith called “tails” and watched the coin land on heads. That’s not what happened.

That’s a good fake. But used my fancy-schmancy machine to replay. pic.twitter.com/xpoC85wxVr

— LosRealAli West (@LosRealAli) November 12, 2019

It might sound like Smith said “tails” if that’s what you’re listening for, but both the referee and Richard Sherman were standing right next to him. Their ears are far more trustworthy in that situation than the television broadcast, and Sherman would have put up a fuss if he thought Smith lost the toss.

Confusion during the overtime coin toss is nothing new in the NFL, but there would have been a lot more reaction if the ref misunderstood Smith. The backup quarterback was hilariously given credit for his coin toss calling skills last week, and it would appear that is his most important role now in Seattle.