PHILADELPHIA — In a surprising turn of events during the Eagles' season-opening victory over the Dallas Cowboys, defensive tackle Jalen Carter was disqualified just five hours after the game commenced, even before he had a chance to step onto the field. The star player found himself remaining in the locker room, embracing his fellow defensive tackles, Jordan Davis and Moro Ojomo, who were forced to carry the defensive load in Carter's unexpected absence. Following the Eagles' narrow 24-20 win, Carter expressed deep regret over an incident where he spat at Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, vowing it would never happen again. “That’s a mistake that happened on my side. Just won’t happen again,” Carter stated earnestly from his locker. “I feel bad for just my teammates and the fans out there. I’m doing it for them. I’m doing it for my family, also, but for the fans. They show the most love, you heard them. To not be able to start the game, finish the game, it f—ed me up. We’ll get it better. It won’t happen again. I can make that promise.”
Carter's behavior, which led to his ejection, was inexcusable. His actions forced his teammates to play an entire game without their defensive anchor, potentially jeopardizing the Eagles' chances of success. Known for his aggressive play, Carter had previously racked up four personal fouls last season, often teetering on the edge between aggression and recklessness. Unlike previous infractions, this incident was not a result of an attempt to make a play; television footage captured Prescott spitting in the direction of the Eagles' defense during a huddle right after the opening kickoff. Carter then approached Prescott, confronted him directly, and reciprocated with a loogie that hit the quarterback. An official witnessed the act, promptly throwing a penalty flag and ejecting Carter from the game. “It’s a disqualifiable foul in the game,” referee Shawn Smith commented. “It’s a non-football act.”
During the post-game interview, Carter refrained from addressing Prescott's involvement in the incident. “When things start to come out and you start seeing things, you can go off that,” Carter said. “But I don’t have nothing to say about it. I’m trying to make sure the team’s straight.” Prescott later explained to reporters that he spits “a thousand times” during games, clarifying that Carter was “trolling” Cowboys offensive lineman Tyler Booker and that his own spitting was an attempt to avoid hitting his linemen. “At that point, I mean, I felt like he was insulting me. I wouldn’t spit on somebody. ‘I’m damn sure I’m not trying to spit on you,’” Prescott recounted. “I’m wondering why you’re trying to mess with the rookie, and so when I stepped through, I actually said words like, ‘Why the hell would I?’… but I’m probably even more colorful. ‘What would I need to spit on you for?’”
Following the incident, Carter was escorted to the locker room by the Eagles' security chief, Dom DiSandro, leaving teammates and fans in shock. “I didn’t even know he was kicked out,” Ojomo admitted. “I thought you got a personal foul and he was coming back in.” Carter acknowledged that he was “super amped” before the game, having waited through the preseason to finally take on an opponent. While he refrained from elaborating on his thoughts during the incident, he insisted that it would not happen again. Observing the game from the locker room was “intense,” he noted, and he even provided his teammates with tips during halftime and breaks. “I wanted to be out there with the guys so bad just to support and help,” Carter expressed.
In Carter's absence, Davis and Ojomo played 50 out of 56 defensive snaps, while Byron Young and Gabe Hall contributed 21 and 5 snaps, respectively. Prescott revealed that the Cowboys adjusted their blocking scheme to compensate for Carter's absence, which undoubtedly influenced the game. Despite the challenges, the defensive line managed to pressure Prescott, with Davis recording six tackles, including one for a loss, and Young causing a pivotal fumble. Ojomo contributed the Eagles’ only credited quarterback hit. However, the consensus among teammates was clear: they missed Carter, whose presence significantly alters the dynamics of the defense and how opposing offenses approach the Eagles. “We needed him out there today and he wasn’t out there against a really good offense,” head coach Nick Sirianni remarked. “I was really proud of the way the guys stepped up and played. … We need Jalen Carter on the field and, like I said, we will keep everything in-house, but we have to get all these things corrected as a whole.”
The Eagles' defensive struggles were particularly evident in the secondary, where Adoree’ Jackson struggled to contain CeeDee Lamb. Lamb finished the game with seven receptions for 110 yards, which could have been worse had it not been for four dropped passes. Nonetheless, the Eagles managed to make crucial stops in the second half, including a game-changing turnover, and they held the Cowboys scoreless after allowing points on all four possessions in the first half. “I think the D-line, we try to lead the defense,” Ojomo stated. “They got us on a couple runs today, but at the end of the day, we got the win. I think we didn’t give them a point in the second half, right? That’s amazing.”
Discipline emerged as a key talking point post-game, with Carter's ejection symbolizing a larger issue. Other players, such as Nolan Smith and Reed Blankenship, faced penalties as well, contributing to the Eagles being flagged nine times for 110 yards. Both Jalen Hurts and Lane Johnson indicated that they had spoken to Carter about the situation. Although Carter had not yet communicated with Sirianni, he was aware that a conversation regarding potential discipline was forthcoming. Sirianni chose not to disclose what form any discipline might take, stating, “I’m going to keep all our conversations and all my disciplinary things in-house, but we have to fix it as coaches.” Carter remained uncertain about whether the league would consider suspending him in light of the incident.
As the season progresses, Carter entered as a strong candidate for the Defensive Player of the Year title. After being named second-team All-Pro in his second season, he is poised for a contract extension and could potentially become one of the NFL’s highest-paid defensive players. He was seen wearing a shirt post-game that read, “MY FIRST YEAR BEING RICH.” The future of his career earnings is promising—if he can channel his considerable talent and rein in his moments of recklessness. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio had previously suggested that Carter needed to play with the right mindset to reach his potential, stating, “He just has to be on top of the details, play with great effort, and be focused.”
In conclusion, Jalen Carter must learn to control his aggressive instincts to avoid costly penalties and ensure he remains a vital asset to the Eagles. The team managed to secure a victory against the Cowboys, but they will need Carter on the field, sacking quarterbacks, not spitting at them, if they hope to contend for a championship this season.
