Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott spoke out after the Philadelphia Eagles beat the Cowboys 24-20 in the 2025 season opener on Friday to clarify the events that led to Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter’s ejection.

The altercation began following an apparent injury to Eagles fullback Ben VanSumeren on the opening kickoff. As play resumed, Prescott, standing near his offensive linemen, spat toward the ground as part of his pre-snap routine. Explaining his perspective, Prescott said:

“I probably spit a thousand times throughout the game. I mean, especially game day, maybe even in general and something I guess I’m not proud of. But in that case, (Carter) was trolling, I guess you could say, trying to mess with (Cowboys right guard) Tyler Booker; I was just looking at him; I was right here by the two linemen, and I guess I needed to spit, and I wasn’t going to spit on my lineman, and I just spit ahead.

“I would say he was back there and was in that sense, and he goes, ‘Are you trying to spit on me?’ 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.’ We’re about to play a game. I’m wondering why you’re trying to mess with the rookie, and so when I stepped through, I actually say the words like, ‘Why the hell would I -’ excuse me, but I’m probably even more colorful. ‘What would I need to spin on you for?’

“He just spit on me in that moment. It was more of a surprise than anything. Refs obviously saw it through the flag. I was like, ‘Hell yeah, we get 15 yards to start the game off.’ Didn’t realize he was getting ejected. Unfortunate that he did.

“He is a hell of a player. It changed our plan and our blocking scheme, as I’ve told you before the week that we’re going to protect against him. So it helped in that manner. I don’t wish for anybody to get out of the game. I’m sure he probably regrets that to some extent. I’m pretty sure he knows that I didn’t try to spit on him or wasn’t even aiming to spit on him.

“So something that’s probably going to get a lot of coverage and a lot of attention that I feel sorry for him in the sense of, yeah, I mean, I know how excited each and every one of us are, right, to kick off the season and the season opener, and hell of a player like that doesn’t even get a chance in the first play. Unfortunate circumstances.”

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Footage from NBC’s broadcast confirmed Prescott was aiming his spit at the ground, while Carter perceived it as directed at him and retaliated, leading the referee to eject him for a disqualifiable foul. Carter’s ejection came six seconds into the contest, becoming the fastest ejection in an NFL game since September 12, 2005.

The No. 9 overall pick from Georgia in 2023, Carter had 42 combined tackles, 4.5 sacks, and 53 pressures in 2024, ranking fourth among defensive tackles and earned his first Pro Bowl selection. His absence was immediately felt as Dallas quickly orchestrated a six-play, 53-yard drive ending in a 1-yard touchdown run by Javonte Williams.

Carter’s actions drew a lot of criticism. Analysts, including Rodney Harrison and Tony Dungy, labeled his behavior as unprofessional and damaging to his team’s performance. Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio noted that Carter could face a suspension depending on his conduct postgame, though a fine is certain given the immediate ejection.

Looking ahead, both teams are preparing for Week 2 with the Cowboys hosting the New York Giants and the Eagles facing a Super Bowl rematch against the Kansas City Chiefs.