When Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter spit on Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott and promptly got himself ejected in the beginning of Thursday night's game, many people (including this writer) criticized the player for crossing the line. Still, it was unclear what caused the vehement sign of disrespect. Well, NBC showed a video that may indicate how the situation escalated. Prescott is actually the first man to spew saliva.
During a break in the action, the veteran signal-caller moves toward the back of the Cowboys huddle and spits on the ground in the direction of his fellow Second-Team All-Pro, via The 33rd Team's Ari Meirov. Prescott, shielded fairly well by his offensive linemen, then proceeds to laugh at Carter. The latter retaliated by spitting directly on the former, foregoing sound judgement in favor of getting in the last word.
NBC just showed the entire sequence of the Dak Prescott/Jalen Carter incident from the beginning of the game.
Here's what happened:https://t.co/1YISW8dnlh https://t.co/EvjA4OIdTb
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) September 5, 2025
It is unknown what was said before Prescott egged on Carter, but either way, the 24-year-old defensive lineman should have known what would happen once he spit on an opposing player. Obviously, though, the veteran QB was not exactly an innocent bystander in this situation. He got under the impactful DT's skin, and as a result, the Cowboys were able to get a huge break. It did not matter in the end, though, as Dallas fell 24-20 in the season opener.
The Eagles' defense held strong overall, allowing only 188 passing yards and no passing touchdowns, but Carter's presence was still missed. Prescott was not sacked once in the game. Imagine the damage the Super Bowl 59 champions can do when No. 98 is back on the field.
Considering Prescott's involvement in the exchange, it will be interesting to see how the NFL decides to discipline Carter. Perhaps both men will be fined, and that will be the end of it.
There were differing opinions on the matter. “If anyone thinks Dak did something bad please delete this app,” @draftlives_here remarked on X. “So it should’ve offset,” @dotYexy said. “Ejecting the best defensive player 6 seconds into the game is pure insanity by the official. Emotions are high, let them play.”
Dak Prescott and Jalen Carter both have plenty to focus on moving forward, so this incident will probably not command much of their attention. Though, when the Cowboys and Eagles meet in AT&T Stadium on Nov. 23, fans will surely have something to say about spit-gate.
