Coin Flip Procedures Changed

Four days after the Pittsburgh Steelers blamed a disputed coin flip in overtime for their Thanksgiving loss to the Detroit Lions, the NFL announced the first changes in the coin toss rules in 22 years.

The changes, which take effect for Thursday’s Philadelphia Eagle-St. Louis Ram game, require the visiting captain to call heads or tails before the referee tosses the coin, instead of when the coin is in the air. Also, the back judge and field judge will stand by the captains throughout the coin toss ceremony to make sure there is no confusion over the call.

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Cincinnati Coach Bruce Coslett apologized for remarks after the Bengals’ 34-17 loss at home to Jacksonville Sunday and said that he and the team did, indeed, care about their performance.

As the Bengals came off the field after their seventh loss in a row they were booed, and in his postgame interview Coslet bristled when asked about the reaction.

“How do you think I feel?” Coslet said Sunday. “How do you think the players feel? Maybe it’s not worth it to us either.”

Said Coslet on Monday: “I most certainly did not mean to say what I said. It was a mistake on my part. It is worth it to us, it is important to us.”

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Green Bay Coach Mike Holmgren apologized for cursing at a fan who derided him at halftime Sunday.

Holmgren was making his way toward the tunnel at Lambeau Field when a fan shouted that Holmgren should start thinking about his current job instead of his next one.

Holmgren responded by yelling two expletives.

“I’m embarrassed by it, first of all,” Holmgren said Monday. “I have never done that before and I trust I’ll never do it again.”

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Carolina running back Fred Lane was suspended for Sunday’s game against the San Francisco 49ers for making an obscene gesture after scoring a touchdown in the Panthers’ 48-21 loss to the New York Jets. . . . Indianapolis wide receiver Marvin Harrison will be sidelined for the season because of a separated shoulder. . . . Miami guard Kevin Donnalley had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee, leaving the Dolphins with only two regular starting offensive linemen for Sunday’s game against the Raiders at Oakland. . . . Redskin linebacker Antwaune Ponds pleaded innocent in Syracuse, N.Y., to misdemeanor charges he held a knife to the throat of a woman during an argument. Ponds was released on his own recognizance. . . . Dwight Clark was named vice president and director of football operations for the Cleveland Browns, who will rejoin the league next season. . . . Jeff George had another MRI on his sore groin muscle, and the Raider quarterback speculated he may be finished for the season.