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Leave it to the NFL to come up with a rule for the coin flip

Only in the NFL can league officials justify coming up with a rule ... for a coin flip.

The league has now come up with specific guidelines for coin tosses at the start of the game and overtime. The new rule mandates that the if the coin doesn't turn over at least once, there will be a re-toss. The original call from the visiting team's captain (heads or tails) will still stand.

The rule came to light Thursday via a tweet by Mike Pereira, the NFL's former vice president of officiating. The league doubtless is responding to the controversial overtime coin toss in the NFC divisional playoff game between the Packers and Cardinals, in which referee Clete Blakeman had trouble with his initial flip.