Miami Dolphins Win No. 8 Pick With Coin Toss
INDIANAPOLIS (CBSMiami) – The Miami Dolphins have won a coin flip against the Carolina Panthers to earn the eighth overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft.
In order to avoid any possible controversy like the one involving Jerome Bettis years ago, the National Football League took the calling of the toss out of the equation.
Instead of General Manager Jeff Ireland having had heads or tails and pray his words were heard correctly, a two-sided coin was used with the Dolphins logo on one side and the Carolina Panther logo on the other side. When the coin landed, the Dolphins logo faced up giving Miami the eighth overall selection of the 2012 NFL Draft.
Miami and Carolina both finished 6-10 last season and were tied in every other measurable category. To the outside observer, one spot in the draft order might seem irrelevant, but Ireland doesn't see it that way.
"I think it makes a big difference," Ireland said. "I've never been into a draft where I didn't feel like if you're at the 10th pick there are nine players and if you're the 22nd pick there's usually 20 players so you're usually right behind it. So the higher up the board I can get, as long as it's with the flip of a coin, I'll take it."
Last season Carolina owned the No. 1 overall pick and selected the eventual NFL Rookie of the Year, Cam Newton. Miami had the No. 15 pick last year.
The Dolphins have selected with the eighth overall pick just once in their history, selecting future Hall of Fame fullback Larry Csonka (1968).
