Former NFL Star And ESPN Analyst Blast 'Disgusting' And 'Selfish' Jalen Carter For Spitting On Dak Prescott

The NFL is officially back, and the drama ignited before the first whistle last night between Philadelphia Eagles star defensive lineman Jalen Carter and Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott. Before a single snap was played, fans inside the Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia were dealt a devastating blow as they lost fullback Ben VanSumeren to a knee injury. But the real shock came moments later, when the team's star defensive tackle, Carter, was ejected for spitting on Prescott during a heated exchange.

Fans worldwide saw it play out live. During an official injury timeout, players from the Cowboys and Eagles paced around the field, waiting for confirmation that the game would continue.

During that time, however, Prescott and Carter seemed to get a bit chippy with each other, with official replays showing the pair chirping back and forth.

Another clip then showed Prescott spitting near Carter's feet, to which Carter took exception, prompting him to retaliate with a loogie of his own directly onto Prescott's uniform.

Not only was Carter's repulsive act captured in 4K, but it was also done directly in front of a referee, prompting them to remove the 24-year-old from the game for unsportsmanlike conduct.

The moment was tense, and following the Cowboys' 24-20 loss to the Eagles, Prescott opened up to reporters about what went down.

Regarding his action of spitting at the ground, Prescott told the media that it's normal conduct for him that happens at least "a thousand times throughout the game."

He explained that he wasn't going to spit on his lineman, so instead, he spat ahead of him, leading Carter to question whether the act was directed at him.

During the press conference, Prescott defended himself against the allegations that he spat on Carter first, calling the accusations "insulting" because he'd never "spit on somebody."

“I actually said words like, ‘Why the hell would I’ excuse me, but 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,” Prescott said.

Despite the disrespectful act, Prescott remained calm, saying he doesn't "wish for anybody" to be ejected from the game.

“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,” Prescott said. “Unfortunate circumstances.”

Social media erupted with hot takes and passionate posts immediately following the news of Carter's ejection, with former NFL athletes and sports analysts blasting the Eagles star for his deplorable conduct and even calling for his potential removal from the league.

Ryan Clark, also a Super Bowl champion, who played for the New York Giants, Washington Commanders, and the Pittsburgh Steelers, slammed Carter on X, calling his behavior "disrespectful [and] disgusting stuff."

Stephen A. Smith, host of the ESPN show "First Take," also jumped into the conversation, writing, "WTH did I just see? Jalen Carter, the best players on the Eagles defense, just got thrown out of the game before a freakin snap for SPITTING."

He continued, "To hell with just an ejection. Suspend that man. How in the HELL could you do something like that? Inexcusable! Stupid. Selfish."

Carter also spoke with reporters after the game and seemingly apologized for his actions, calling it a "mistake" before vowing to never let it "happen again."

Carter then expressed disappointment with himself for letting his teammates and fans down, adding, "You know, I'm doing it for them. I'm doing it for my family also but the fans, they show the most love."

"You heard them out there and not being able to start the game to finish the game just f-cks me up, but it won't happen again," he said.

Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni commented on the incident, saying the team would keep all discussions and potential team punishment in-house.

According to ABC 6 Action News, Carter isn't the first NFL player to be criticized for spitting on an opponent.

In 1997, Denver Broncos linebacker Bill Romanowski received a $7,500 fine for spitting in the face of JJ Stokes.

In 2006, Sean Taylor was fined $17,000 for spitting on Michael Pittman. That same year, Cowboys player Terrell Owens was hit with a $35,000 fine for spitting on DeAngelo Hall.