NFL

Commissioner says Giants, Jets wouldn’t solve coin-flip problem on own

ORLANDO, Fla. — Roger Goodell has heard just about enough on Coin-Flip Gate, thank you very much.

Clearly irritated, the NFL commissioner tried to deflect questions and turn the page yesterday on his role in the coin toss to decide who would host the first game at new Meadowlands stadium this fall.

“There was a coin flip — I did it myself, so I know,” Goodell insisted testily during a break in the league meetings when asked if the toss had actually happened.

Goodell also revealed that the lettering on the “heads” side of the quarter he flipped was kind to Big Blue.

“We didn’t call heads or tails — we used the head of the coin for the Giants because of the ‘G’ in the phrase ‘In God We Trust’ on the coin,’ ” Goodell said. “It’s that simple. I think we came up with a great solution.”

The NFL announced the Giants won the flip, purportedly held March 12 in Goodell’s office with neither team present. The opener is set for Sept. 12 against an opponent to be determined.

Jets owner Woody Johnson issued a shockingly frank public criticism of the league three days later for holding the flip alone, and the club privately remains irate even though the NFL gave Johnson a home game Sept. 13 on Monday Night Football — most likely against the Dolphins or Patriots — as consolation.

The Jets also are expected to receive a home game Thanksgiving night, an announcement that could come as soon as today.

Goodell refused to explain why the flip was held in private, shifting the blame for the controversy to the co-owners of the new $1.6 billion stadium for not being able to come up with a decision on their own.

The Jets pressed for a flip, while the Giants did not want a toss and purportedly expected to get the first game because of their stature in the league’s history and much-longer tenure as a franchise.

“We offered both teams the same opportunity, and it was clear the two clubs weren’t going to be able to resolve it on their own and, frankly, weren’t even agreeable to the process of resolving it,” Goodell said yesterday. “So it was my decision to make, it was my authority, and so I did so.”

Goodell met with Johnson to talk about the owner’s critical statement, but Goodell claimed he wasn’t angered by it and obviously didn’t want to talk about it anymore.

Johnson agreed yesterday, saying: “We’ve moved on.”