The 2025 NFL season didn’t return with a bang on Thursday night. It instead returned with spitting, tempers flaring and lightning disrupting.
In a highly anticipated matchup between the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles and NFC East rival Dallas Cowboys, a player was ejected before the first play could even be run.
Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter got in the grill of Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott and was seen spitting onto Prescott’s jersey. Both men had a few choice words for each other, but Carter was ultimately the one to catch the undesirable attention of the officiating crew at Lincoln Financial Field in Philly.
A classic case of “who started it.”
Jalen Carter was ejected prior to the first play for spitting 🤯
Can’t believe what we just saw! pic.twitter.com/iVEkF4zuLB
— Buddy Boy Bets (@Buddyboybets) September 5, 2025
Nearby lightning disrupted the contest with 9:44 remaining in the third quarter, but that certainly didn’t prevent the sporting populace from lighting social media on fire.
In fact, “DAK SPIT FIRST” was still trending on X until the game’s conclusion, which Philadelphia survived 24-20.
Neither team scored after the lengthy pause.
Here were just a few of the reactions and cases for Prescott being the instigator.
DAK SPIT FIRSTpic.twitter.com/OgOglQ4z8E
— Barstool Philly (@BarstoolPhilly) September 5, 2025
pic.twitter.com/Iz0kAsELZd
— George Costanza (@TrvlSecCostanza) September 5, 2025
SPITGATE
— Cake (@xcake88) September 5, 2025
Prescott: pic.twitter.com/IUST48e63p
— 🔥Frank the Tank🔥 (@FrankAuthentic1) September 5, 2025
The NFL’s welcome-back party continues on Friday with the Kansas City Chiefs taking on the Los Angeles Chargers in Brazil, and the Cardinals have a Week 1 date with the Saints in New Orleans on Sunday at 10 a.m.