The 2025 NFL season opener between the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys was supposed to showcase one of the league’s fiercest rivalries.
Instead, it devolved into chaos before the first snap from scrimmage — thanks to a shocking ejection of one of the game’s brightest young stars.
Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter, a Pro Bowler in just his second season and one of the anchors of Philadelphia’s front seven, was tossed before he even had a chance to line up. The reason? Video showed Carter spitting toward Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott during a stoppage following the opening kickoff.
Officials wasted no time. Flags flew, tempers erupted, and Carter was escorted off the field to a chorus of boos from the home crowd at Lincoln Financial Field. The Eagles faithful had been expecting Carter’s disruptive presence in the trenches; instead, they watched him take the long walk to the locker room without logging a single snap.
Here is Jalen Carter spitting on Dak Prescott: pic.twitter.com/4F5BjEDLHf
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 5, 2025
It’s a stunning turn for the 24-year-old, who entered the league as a top-10 pick out of Georgia and quickly established himself as one of the NFL’s most dominant interior defenders.
Last season, Carter racked up 4½ sacks and 42 tackles, earning Pro Bowl honors. As a rookie, he finished runner-up for Defensive Rookie of the Year. But in Week 1 of Year 3, all of that promise was overshadowed by a moment of recklessness.
The Cowboys wasted no time exploiting Carter’s absence. Prescott orchestrated a crisp opening drive, leaning on the ground game before hitting CeeDee Lamb for a 32-yard strike that set up running back Javonte Williams’ touchdown plunge. The Eagles answered with a Jalen Hurts keeper on third-and-goal, but the tone of the game had already been set: chippy, emotional, and volatile.
As if Carter’s ejection weren’t enough drama, tempers flared again after Philadelphia’s touchdown, with another round of flags flying after a post-score scuffle. Clearly, the NFC East rivalry hasn’t cooled one bit.
