The NFL is reviewing Thursday night’s ugly spitting incident between Jalen Carter and Dak Prescott in the Philadelphia Eagles’ opening win over the Dallas Cowboys, according to reports.
League insider Tom Pelissero claims Eagles defensive tackle Carter, who was ejected for spitting on Prescott just seconds into the 2025 campaign, could face ‘additional discipline’ after his disqualification in Philly.
It remains to be seen whether the Cowboys quarterback is also punished after shock new footage appeared to show him spitting at Carter first.
The NFL season immediately descended into chaos when the latter was ejected for spitting on Prescott inside the first six seconds, yet a new slo-mo angle of the incident has revealed a crucial detail in the buildup to the appalling incident.
It now appears that it was Dak who drew first blood – or rather first spit – before the first snap of the game.
Prescott spat on the ground near the Eagles defensive huddle while Philadelphia fullback Ben VanSumeren, who was later carted off the field, was down having his knee examined after injuring it on the game’s opening kickoff.
Eagles star Jalen Carter (left) faces additional punishment after his ejection against the Eagles
Carter inexplicably spat at Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (left) just six seconds in
Carter took offense at the action, claiming it was ‘hostile’ while his teammate was down on the turf, according to Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
As Prescott attempted to explain it wasn’t his intention, Carter, the best player on the Super Bowl champions’ defense, got carried away and spat at the signal caller’s face.
The ref caught Carter’s move and immediately decided to eject the player, announcing the news to the stadium and leaving millions of fans stunned as they watched the 2025 season opener.
Both players spoke out on the controversy after Philadelphia went on to seal a 24-20 victory over Dallas at Lincoln Financial Field.
‘I feel bad for my teammates and the fans out there. I’m doing it for them,’ Carter said. ‘It was a mistake that happened on my side.
‘It won’t happen again. I don’t try to do nothing out of the ordinary. I wanted to be out there with the guys so bad.’
Prescott, meanwhile, explained: ‘I’ve probably spit a thousand times during the game, I guess I needed to spit so I spit ahead. He (Carter) said, “Are you trying to spit on me?” At that point I felt he was insulting me, I wouldn’t try and spit on anyone.
‘He just spit on me in that moment. It was more of a surprise, refs saw it and threw the flag, I thought ‘hell yeah we’ll get 15 yards to start the game’. I didn’t realize he was going to get ejected, he is a hell of a player. It changed our gameplan.
‘Unfortunate circumstances, it’s probably going to get a lot of coverage and attention.’
Footage later in the night showed Prescott spitting on the ground before Carter responded
Prescott insisted that he wasn’t trying to provoke Carter before the start of the game
Taking to X, Stephen A. Smith summed up most fans’ thoughts by posting: ‘WTH did I just see? Jalen Carter — the Best Players on the @Eagles defense — just got thrown out the game before a freakin snap for SPITTING….SPITTING on @dak.
‘To hell with just an ejection. Suspend that man. How in the HELL could you do something like that? Inexcusable! Stupid! Selfish! #Damn!’
Eagles legend Jason Kelce was a little more succinct, meanwhile, simply writing: ‘What in the f*** just happened.’
Good Morning Football host Kyle Brandt then revealed more information on the shocking series of events.
He took to X to tell fans: ‘I was standing next to the tunnel as Jalen Carter left the field. Big Dom was talking to him, Jalen was still saying nothing. Looked emotionless.’
Carter is in his third season in the NFL and enjoyed a breakout season in 2024, helping his team to lift the Lombardi Trophy with a win over the Chiefs in New Orleans.
