The Green Bay Packers placed cornerback Jaire Alexander on the reserve/suspended list on Wednesday, suspending him for one game for “conduct detrimental to the team,” meaning he’ll miss Sunday’s game against the Vikings.
Alexander returned to the Packers on Sunday after missing six games due to a shoulder injury and notably nearly botched the coin toss when he told the officials that Green Bay wanted its defense on the field, which is different than deferring the toss and could’ve prevented the Packers from receiving the second-half kickoff.
Alexander was not listed as a captain but went out for the coin toss anyway. He said it was “only suiting” that he was a captain because he was from Charlotte, N.C., where the Carolina Panthers play. Packers coach Matt LaFleur called Alexander’s near-miscue a “big mistake” postgame.
“The decision to suspend a player is never easy and not one we take lightly. Unfortunately, Jaire’s actions prior to the game in Carolina led us to take this step,” Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said in a statement. “As an organization, we have an expectation that everyone puts the team first. While we are disappointed, we had a good conversation with Jaire this morning and fully expect him to learn from this as we move forward together. We look forward to welcoming him back next week as he is a valued member of this team and will continue to be in the future.”
The Packers ended up edging out the Panthers for a 33-30 victory.
Alexander has long been the Packers’ best defensive back. In the six games he’s played this season, he has 26 tackles, four passes defended and one forced fumble. He had a career-high five interceptions in 2022.
