Jalen Carter ejected for spitting on Dak Prescott seconds into season opener

The Philadelphia Eagles opened their 2025 campaign on Thursday night against long-time rivals, the Dallas Cowboys, but the game took a dramatic turn before the first snap. Star defensive tackle Jalen Carter was tossed from the contest immediately following the opening kickoff after appearing to spit on Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, as reported by CBS Sports.

As both starting units lined up, Carter confronted Prescott, and a brief verbal exchange escalated when Carter spat on the quarterback’s jersey. Officials flagged the incident as unsportsmanlike conduct, assessing a 15-yard penalty against Philadelphia and ejecting Carter immediately.

Research from CBS Sports noted that Carter’s removal, just six seconds into the matchup, marked the quickest ejection in the NFL since Sept. 12, 2005, when Eagles linebacker Jeremiah Trotter and Falcons corner Kevin Mathis were both thrown out before kickoff for a pregame altercation.