Just six seconds into the 2025 season, and as Eagles fullback/special teams ace Ben VanSumeren was being carted off the field with a knee injury suffered on the opening kickoff, the spit seen around the world sent shockwaves through Lincoln Financial Field.
Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter was ejected from the game after spitting on Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott during an injury timeout. Carter was flagged for a 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty, tossed from the game and then escorted to the locker room by "Big Dom" DiSandro, the team's head of security.
The Eagles survived the ejection, edging out a 24-20 lightning-delayed win over Dallas on the night they hung the Super Bowl LIX banner at the Linc. After the game, Carter and Prescott addressed the loogie. Here's what we know and what's next.
Jalen Carter apologizes after spitting on Cowboys' Dak Prescott
After the opening kickoff, the broadcast showed Carter and Prescott exchanging words before the Eagles' Pro Bowl DT spat on the Dallas quarterback's jersey and then backing away.
Prescott was seen motioning to a nearby referee, who threw the flag and ejected Carter.
"It was more of a surprise than anything," Prescott said after the game. "The refs obviously saw it. Threw the flag. I was like, `Hell yeah! We get 15 yards to start the game off.′ Didn't realize he was getting ejected. Unfortunate that he did. Hell of a player."
Five hours after his disqualification, Carter stood by his locker and apologized for the incident.
"It was a mistake that happened on my side. It won't happen again," Carter said. "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."
"We're going to get it better," Carter added. "It won't happen again. I can make that promise."
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Philadelphia Eagles' Jalen Carter walks off the field after being ejected from an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys, Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025. Matt Slocum/AP
Carter said he knew he was being ejected when he heard one of the referees say spitting was a "tossable offense." He added he was calm and wasn't angry when he was escorted off the field.
"I couldn't really do nothing else," Carter said. "The ref's decision is the ref's decision."
Referee Shawn Smith told a pool reporter that one of the officials saw Carter spitting on Prescott.
"It's a disqualifiable foul in the game," Smith said. "It's a non-football act."
Carter said he hasn't spoken with head coach Nick Sirianni yet, but knows a conversation is coming. Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts said that he has already talked with Carter about the incident.
"We want to have great, like I said, energy, tenacity, all those different things, but we have to do it within the rules of the game," Sirianni said. "We'll address that, we'll go through that, but we have to get better in that scenario because we need that guy on the field. He's a really good player."
Did Dak Prescott spit first?
Later in the game, the broadcast showed another video of the incident shortly before Carter hawked a loogie at Prescott.
The video showed Prescott, with two Cowboys offensive linemen in front of him, spitting in Carter and the Eagles' defense's direction with what appears to be a smirk. Prescott and Carter were exchanging words, then Carter spat at Prescott.
When asked after the game if Prescott provoked him, Carter said, "I don't try to do nothing out of the ordinary. You know, anything that I feel like I've done something back, it's provoked. But if there's something out there and you all see it, we'll go off that."
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Philadelphia Eagles' Jalen Carter walks off the field after being ejected from an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys, Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025. Matt Slocum/AP
Carter was again asked about the other angle of the incident. Here's what he said.
"When things start to come out and you start seeing things, you can go off that," Carter said. "I don't have nothing to say about that, I'm just trying to make sure the team's straight."
In his postgame press conference, Prescott offered his side of the story. He claimed he spat straight ahead as he normally does, only for his saliva to land near Carter.
"I probably spit a thousand times throughout the game, especially game day, maybe even in general," Prescott said. "It's something, I guess, I'm not proud of. In that case, he was trolling, or I guess you can say trying to mess with [rookie] Tyler Booker."
"I was just looking at him. I was right here by the two linemen, and I guess I needed to spit," Prescott added. "I wasn't going to spit on my linemen. I just spit ahead."
According to Prescott, Carter allegedly asked him, "You trying to spit on me?"
"He was insulting me," the Cowboys quarterback said. "I wouldn't spit on somebody. I'm definitely not trying to spit on you. We're about to play a game."
"I'm sure he probably regrets that to some extent," he added. "I'm pretty sure he knows I didn't try to spit on him or wasn't even aiming to spit on him."
What's next for Jalen Carter, Dak Prescott after the "Spit Game"?
One of the lingering questions after the "Spit Game" is, will Carter — or even Prescott — face any additional discipline?
Carter could be facing a potential hefty fine and possibly even a suspension, as the NFL wants to crack down on unsportsmanlike conduct this season.
"If I get that text or that call, then that conversation will happen," Carter said of a possible suspension.
On "Good Morning Football" on Friday morning, NFL Network reporter Tom Pelissero said the league will review the incident.
"One, Jalen Carter effectively served a one-game suspension last night by becoming one of the only players in NFL history to get ejected before playing a snap," Pelissero said. "Generally, if you're going back historically, the NFL, in terms of additional discipline, has handled spitting incidents with fines, not suspensions."
Pelissero added he doesn't foresee Prescott facing any type of discipline.
"Let's be very clear here, there is no rule against spitting in the general direction of someone from a significant distance," Pelissero said. "I would not anticipate that this is going to become something that ends up in discipline for Dak Prescott."
Tom Dougherty
Tom Dougherty is a digital content producer for CBS Philadelphia. Before joining CBS Philadelphia, Tom covered sports for NBC Sports Philadelphia. He currently covers breaking news and sports.