Eagles defensive lineman Jalen Carter was ejected after spitting at Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott during the season opener.
Prescott said his own spit was unintentional and not aimed at Carter, but Carter reacted by spitting back.
The incident occurred before the first offensive play, following the opening kickoff.
PHILADELPHIA − Not that he’s especially proud to admit it, but Dak Prescott spits ‘a thousand’ times during a football game.
Never has one such instance incited what happened Thursday during the season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles, a 24-20 loss for his Dallas Cowboys.
As Cowboys special-teamer Ben VanSumeren remained on the ground following the opening kickoff of the game, and both the Cowboys’ offense and Eagles’ defense loitered near the eventual line of scrimmage, Eagles defensive lineman Jalen Carter started jawing at Cowboys rookie right guard Tyler Booker, a 2025 first-round draft pick.
Prescott noticed and moved to the front of the formation and let out one of those thousand loogies. As Prescott explained it after the game, he was near his linemen and needed to spit but didn’t want to hit his teammates with the phlegm so he angled the projection forward and toward the ground.
“And (Carter) goes, ‘You tryna spit on me?’ At that point I felt like he was insulting me,’ he said. ‘I wouldn’t spit on somebody. I’m damn sure not trying to spit on you, we’re about to play a game. (I was) wondering why you were trying to mess with the rookie.”
According to Prescott, he used colorful language to ask why Carter would think he’d be spitting at his opponent. That’s when Carter fired.
“It was a surprise more than anything,’ the quarterback said. ‘Refs obviously saw it, threw the flag. I was like ‘Hell yeah we got 15 yards to start the game off.’ Didn’t realize he was getting ejected. Unfortunate that he did – helluva player.’
Carter’s ejection meant that the Cowboys no longer had to account for him in their blocking schemes. Dallas marched down the field 53 yards in six plays as three minutes and 11 seconds came off the clock, with Javonte Williams scoring from one-yard out for the early lead.
‘I don’t wish anybody to get out of the game. I’m sure he probably regrets that to some extent. Pretty sure he knows I didn’t try to spit on him or was even aiming to spit on him.”
Prescott knew the situation would attract a lot of attention and he’s sorry for that knowing how excited the football world is for a new season.
“Unfortunate circumstances,” Prescott said.
He added: ‘It hit me more on my shirt and collar than just straight skin, thankfully. But like I said, I was surprised … for him to react and spit, I’m sure it’s not something he’s proud of.”
Prescott wasn’t the only Cowboy in shock – or pleased with the fact that Carter wasn’t going to be on the field for a single snap.
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“It absolutely surprised me,’ left guard Tyler Smith told USA TODAY Sports. ‘Obviously he’s one of their key players and he’s a big part of the game plan. And he made it easier to game plan.”
“Anything for Dak,’ edge rusher Sam Williams said, ‘that’s my dog.
“That was crazy. Spitting, I feel like it’s not even disrespectful, it’s just hateful. I don’t know, man. Just don’t spit on me, please. Because then we’re both going to the locker room.”
Williams was in the back of the huddle when the “spit seen ‘round the world” happened. He only found out what happened when the team returned to the sidelines following his touchdown, the first of two in the game for him.
“He got ejected, so I wasn’t too mad about that,” Williams said.
Asked to reflect on the event more than four hours after it occurred, Eagles left tackle Jordan Mailata responded with surprise and an unintentional expletive.
‘Oh, (bleep), sorry. I totally forgot about how it started. It was such a long night,’ said Mailata, who didn’t know Carter had been ejected until after the game’s third play.
He felt circumstances partially fueled the episode.
“Antsy, Dallas week, first game of the year – crazy combination,’ said Mailata. ‘Something that was brewing. Antsy.”
Said Philly coach Nick Sirianni of Carter: ‘(W)e needed him out there today and he wasn’t out there against a really good offense.’