NFC loses Super Bowl coin flip

JOE KAY AP Sports Writer Published:

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- The Super Bowl started with a rare NFC loss.

The New York Giants lost the pregame coin toss Sunday, ending a streak of 14 straight coin-flip wins by the National Football Conference in the title game. Special teams captain Zak DeOssie called tails -- as he has all season -- referee John Parry flipped the coin and it landed heads.

The New England Patriots deferred to the second half and kicked off.

The coin toss winner has been a poor gauge of who wins the game. Even though the NFC won the last 14 Super Bowl tosses, the AFC won nine of those games.

One national promotion was tied to the toss. Papa John's has to give away millions of pizzas to its rewards program members because it landed on heads.