Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter was ejected just moments into the NFL Kickoff Game after spitting on Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott during a confrontation.
The incident occurred during a delay for an injury on the opening kickoff. Broadcast replays showed Prescott spitting on the field near Carter, followed by a smile. After a brief, nose-to-nose exchange, Carter spat at Prescott, drawing a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty and an immediate disqualification.
Prescott later explained that the initial act was unintentional. “I guess I needed to spit, and I wasn’t going to spit on my linemen, so I just spit ahead,” he said. The quarterback stated that Carter then asked, “Are you trying to spit on me?” which Prescott found insulting. “He just spit on me in that moment, and it was more of a surprise than anything,” Prescott recounted.
While the quarterback was initially pleased to gain 15 yards to start the game, he expressed regret over Carter’s ejection. “I don’t wish for anybody to get out of the game,” Prescott said. “I’m sure he probably regrets that… I feel sorry for him, in the sense of, I know how excited each and every one of us are to kick off the season.” Prescott acknowledged that Carter’s absence altered the Cowboys’ blocking schemes, as they had specifically game-planned to contain the disruptive lineman.
The penalty contributed to an opening-drive touchdown for the Cowboys. With arguably Philadelphia’s best defensive player sidelined, Dallas exploited his absence, accumulating 119 rushing yards and two touchdowns on the ground. Despite the early loss, the Eagles ultimately won the game.
Carter, 23, was the ninth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft and is coming off his first Pro Bowl season. The two teams are scheduled for a rematch on November 23 at AT&T Stadium in Dallas.
Source link
