Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott has responded after his team’s season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles turned into a spitting contest.
Before the first snap of the game between the storied rivals on Thursday, September 4, Eagles star defensive tackle Jalen Carter was ejected for spitting on Prescott.
“One of the officials observed [Carter] spitting on an opponent,” referee Shawn Smith told a pool reporter after the game. “It’s a disqualifiable foul in the game. It’s a non-football act.”
However, before the game was even over — a 24-20 victory for the Eagles — video circulated of Prescott, 32, alleging spitting in Carter’s direction first.
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“I was just looking at [Carter] and I was right here in between two linemen,” Prescott explained after the game. “I guess I needed to spit, and I wasn’t going to spit on my linemen, so I just spit ahead.”
Prescott said Carter took it personally, asking him. “Are you trying to spit on me?”
“At that point, I felt like he was insulting me,” Prescott continued. “I wouldn’t spit on somebody and I’m damn sure not trying to spit on you, we’re trying to play a game … I stepped through [and] I actually said words like, ‘The hell — excuse me, but probably even more colorful — what would I need to spit on you for?’ And he just spit on me in that moment. It was more of a surprise than anything.”
Prescott said the incident was “unfortunate” and called Carter, 24, a “hell of a player.”
Carter admitted his wrongdoing after the game, calling it “a mistake.”
“t just won’t happen again,” Carter told reporters. “I feel bad for just my teammates and the fans out there. 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—ed me up, but it won’t happen again.”
According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the league will review Carter’s spitting incident to see if it warrants any fine or suspension.
Eagles head coach, Nick Siranni, did not reveal if Carter would face any internal disciplinary action.
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“I want these guys to play with great energy, great tenacity while doing it within the rules of the game,” Sirianni, 44, said after the game. “So we’ll address that. [Carter] knows we needed him out there today, and he wasn’t out there against a really good offense.”
The moment went viral online, with some calling back to Spitgate 2022 — when fans thought Harry Styles spat on Chris Pine at a Don’t Worry Darling screening. (Both parties later denied that happened.) Carter’s spit also drew the attention of former Eagles center Jason Kelce, who took to social media to express his outlandish reaction.
“This is the most wild start to an NFL season of all time,” Jason posted via X on Thursday night. “First play of the game, one player is carted off, the other ejected. I mean everyone knows you don’t spit, you swallow obvi.”
The Eagles return to action on Sunday, September 14, on the road against the Kansas City Chiefs.
