The NFL suspended Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter without pay for one game for spitting on Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott early in the team’s Week 1 game, the league announced Tuesday. However, because Carter was ejected before a single play from scrimmage, the league is considering the suspension to have been served, and he is eligible to play against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.
The NFL Players Association told the NFL that Carter will not contest the discipline and has waived his right to appeal.
Carter was ejected from the Eagles’ Week 1 win over the Dallas Cowboys after the opening kickoff when he spat at Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, hitting Prescott in the collar of the jersey. Referee Shawn Smith called the unsportsmanlike conduct a “disqualifiable foul in the game” as “a non-football act.”
“That’s a mistake that happened on my side. Just won’t happen again,” Carter said after the game. “I feel bad for just my teammates and the fans out there. I’m doing it for them. I’m doing it for my family, also, but for the fans. They show the most love, you heard them. To not be able to start the game, finish the game, it f—ed me up. We’ll get it better. It won’t happen again. I can make that promise.”
Video replay showed Prescott spitting in the direction of the Eagles’ defensive huddle before Carter approached. Prescott, who said he spits “a thousand times” during a game, suggested that Carter was “trolling” a Cowboys offensive lineman, and Prescott spat in front of him to avoid the linemen in his huddle. Prescott’s spit did not hit Carter.
“I would say (Carter) was back there and was in that sense, and he goes, ‘Are you trying to spit on me?’” Prescott said. “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?’ … but I’m probably even more colorful. ‘What would I need to spit on you for?’ He just spit on me in that moment; it was more of a surprise than anything.”
Carter did not know after the game whether the league would suspend him. Eagles coach Nick Sirianni stated that any internal discipline would be handled in-house. Carter’s temper and demeanor have been a topic of conversation since the Pro Bowl defensive tackle arrived in Philadelphia. He was penalized four times for unnecessary roughness in 2024 and twice in 2023. Carter was fined twice for penalties in 2024, paying a combined $29,262.
“You’ve got to be focused on the job at hand, and all extracurricular stuff needs to not have any importance to you,” Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said following the NFL’s decision.
“To be considered a leader, actions speak louder than words and he’s got to lead through his actions,” Fangio said.
In previous seasons, spitting incidents have led to fines — not suspensions. Cowboys wide receiver Terrell Owens was fined $25,000 in 2006 for spitting on Falcons cornerback DeAngelo Hall. In 2020, Ravens cornerback Marcus Peters was fined $12,500 for spitting at Browns wide receiver Jarvis Landry, although Peters denied that he intentionally spit at Landry.
The NFL made sportsmanship a point of emphasis this offseason. The topic of spitting at an opponent continued into the weekend, when Florida defensive lineman Brendan Bett was ejected for spitting at a South Florida player in the Gators’ 18-16 loss.
The Carter news comes with an Eagles game once again receiving a national spotlight. The visit to Kansas City is a rematch of Super Bowl LIX and is the featured game Sunday in the 4:25 p.m. ET timeslot on Fox.
(Photo: Mitchell Leff / Getty Images)