Will Jalen Carter face any punishment?

The first game of the NFL season between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Dallas Cowboys kicked off on Thursday, Sept. 4. Six seconds into the game, defensive tackle Jalen Carter got ejected for spitting on quarterback Dak Prescott. This incident brought attention from fans and drew questions on discipline and sportsmanship in the NFL. 

The incident started when Prescott spat in the direction of Carter. Believing this was intentional, Carter confronted Prescott and spat directly onto Prescott’s jersey. The referee’s flagged this action and enforced a fifteen yard penalty along with ejecting Carter before he could play a single snap. Levi Grossman ‘27 said, “I was very surprised because it was so early in the game.” 

In an interview from an article from Associated Press, Carter said, “It was a mistake that happened on my side. It won’t happen again, I feel bad for just my teammates and fans out there. I’m doing it for them. I’m doing it for my family, also. But the fans, they showed the most love.”

Fans have weighed in on the situation, talking about who is to blame and voicing their opinions on the two teams. One aspect was questioning if Prescott provoked Carter on purpose by spitting in his direction and then looking at him, smiling and nodding his head. Leo Shean ‘27 said, “I think Dak played it off well, but he wasn’t necessarily in the right.”

The NFL has reviewed the incident and fined Carter $57,222. Despite being fined, Carter will not serve a suspension of any games. On the Eagles side, Carter’s ejection had an impact on their defense and it also left a message to the whole league, about expectations regarding sportsmanship and professional conduct. This incident could lead to changes in the NFL, and it remains to be seen if any new rules and penalties are added.