The coin toss may last only a few seconds, but it can shape a team’s first possession, its halftime plan and even its choice of which end of the field to defend. In American football, “the draw” usually means this pregame toss—not a random drawing of teams. If you mean a game that ends level, that is a tie, handled through overtime rules.
How the pregame coin toss works
Before kickoff, the referee meets the team captains near midfield. The visiting team’s captain is typically asked to call heads or tails while the coin is in the air. The referee tosses it, and the result determines which team gets the first choice of options.
Winning the toss does not automatically mean your team receives the opening kickoff. The winner chooses from the options allowed by its competition’s rules. In the NFL and college football, a captain can generally choose to receive, choose which goal to defend, or defer the choice until the second half. Exact procedures can vary in high school leagues and other competitions.
What does it mean to defer?
Deferring means putting off your team’s choice until the start of the second half. The other team then chooses what happens at the start of the game. If it elects to receive the kickoff, the team that deferred will usually receive to open the third quarter.
That can be a useful strategic choice. A team that receives to start both halves has the chance to build momentum early and again after halftime. Coaches also weigh their offense’s strengths, the opponent’s opening strategy and conditions such as wind or sun. There is no single choice that is right every time.
For example, a team with a strong second-half offense might defer, aiming to receive after the break and make the first adjustment with the ball. Another team may prefer to start on offense immediately, especially if it has a scripted opening drive it trusts.
Why choose a particular end of the field?
A captain may choose which goal to defend rather than whether to receive. That choice matters when weather or the stadium layout creates an advantage. A strong wind can affect punts, field goals and long passes; bright sun can make it harder for a quarterback or receiver to track the ball. A team might choose to face the wind in one quarter so it can have it at its back later.
Once the opening choice is settled, teams switch ends at halftime. The team that did not receive the opening kickoff normally gets the ball to start the second half, unless the toss winner deferred and the other team chose to receive at the start of the game.
How rules differ by competition
| Competition | What the toss generally determines |
|---|---|
| NFL | The winner can choose to receive, defer, or select a goal to defend; the other team receives the remaining choice. |
| College football | The winner can choose to receive or kick, select a goal, or defer. The opposing team then makes its choice. |
| High school | The basic process is similar, but details can depend on the governing rules and local competition. |
In each case, the coin toss is a way to assign the first choice—not a guarantee that the winning team will start with the ball. The referee announces the decision, and the teams line up for the kickoff.
What happens if the game is tied?
A tied score at the end of regulation is not settled by another ordinary pregame-style draw. The teams play overtime under the rules for their competition. Those rules differ: NFL overtime and college overtime use different formats, and high school rules may differ again. In college, for example, overtime uses alternating possessions rather than a standard kickoff to begin a new period.
Overtime often begins with a coin toss or equivalent choice to set the order or position of play, but winning that toss does not itself decide the game. Teams still have to score, defend and follow the competition’s overtime procedure. Always check the rules for the league and season in question, particularly for playoff games.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does the team that wins the toss always receive the kickoff?
No. It can choose to receive, but it may instead defer, giving the other team the first choice and keeping its own choice for the second half.
Who calls heads or tails?
The visiting captain is generally asked to make the call before the referee tosses the coin. The referee conducts the toss and announces the result.
Can a team choose which direction to play?
Yes. Depending on the competition’s rules and the choices made after the toss, a team may select the goal it will defend. Wind, sun and other field conditions can influence that decision.
Is a draw the same as a tie in American football?
Not usually. “Draw” may refer informally to the coin toss, but a tied score is called a tie and is resolved—or left tied—according to the competition’s overtime rules.
Final Thoughts
The pregame coin toss is simple: captains meet the referee, the visiting captain calls the coin, and the winner gets the first choice. The important detail is what the team does with that choice. Receiving, deferring or picking an end can each make sense depending on the matchup and conditions, while a tied game follows a separate overtime process.
Aiden Cross is a sports writer and editor at BeliveSports, covering a broad range of sports with a focus on clear, accurate, and practical information. His work covers rules, techniques, player roles, competitions, equipment, statistics, and the details that help readers better understand how different sports are played. Aiden takes a research-driven approach to sports writing, using reliable sources and established sporting information to provide context rather than simply repeating surface-level facts. His goal is to make complex topics accessible while maintaining the accuracy and depth expected by knowledgeable sports fans. At BeliveSports, Aiden contributes to the site’s editorial standards by focusing on accuracy, clarity, useful context, and reader-first explanations.