The Philadelphia Eagles’ highly anticipated season debut got off to a chaotic and controversial start Sunday night when star defensive lineman Jalen Carter was ejected just six seconds into the game for a disrespectful act towards Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott.
Incident unfolds before first defensive snapThe drama began immediately after the opening kickoff of the Eagles’ 24-20 win. As Philadelphia trainers tended to an injured player on the field, Carter walked toward Prescott and appeared to spit directly on his chest, per a widely-circulated video on X. Officials threw an unsportsmanlike conduct flag, and Carter was disqualified before even taking his first defensive snap.
Referee Shawn Smith later explained to a pool reporter that an official had directly observed Carter spitting, calling it a “disqualifiable foul” since it was a “non-football act.”
NBC’s broadcast team was stunned by the ejection, with play-by-play announcer Mike Tirico audibly reacting in the moment.
“Whoa, whoa,” Tirico said. “First of all, I got no idea what he’s thinking, and second, this is massive in terms of the game.”
Analyst Cris Collinsworth emphasized the impact of Carter’s absence on the Eagles’ defense.
“He’s the best player they have on their defense and about 80 percent of what we were gonna talk about on this broadcast,” Collinsworth said. “To beat the Eagles, you have to double-team Jalen Carter. If you don’t, your offense doesn’t get started. Losing him is almost like the Cowboys losing Micah Parsons, same impact.”
After the game, Carter acknowledged the mistake and insisted it would not happen again.
“I heard the refs talking,” Carter told reporters. “They said this is a toss-able offense, something like that. So that’s when I knew.”
The incident may not have been entirely one-sided. Cameras later showed Prescott appearing to spit in Carter’s direction shortly before Carter’s retaliation. Prescott also appeared to smile toward Carter after the exchange, though officials only penalized the Eagles star.
Carter, 23, was the No. 9 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft and quickly established himself as one of the league’s most disruptive defensive linemen. He posted 42 tackles and 4.5 sacks last season, earning a Pro Bowl nod while helping Philadelphia reach the Super Bowl.
His absence now leaves a hole in new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio’s lineup as the Eagles aim to return to championship contention.
Chaotic start to Eagles' seasonThe bizarre moment capped an already messy start for Philadelphia. Fullback Ben VanSumeren suffered a knee injury on the opening kickoff and had to be carted off the field, per CBS News. While trainers were assisting him, Carter approached Prescott, exchanged words, and then committed the act that led to his swift ejection.
Despite the setback, the Eagles managed to rally and secure a narrow 24-20 victory over their NFC East rivals.