Concerns that Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter could be sidelined for the team’s Super Bowl rematch against the Kansas City Chiefs were eased on Tuesday, when the NFL finalized its discipline following his ejection from the season opener. Carter was fined $57,222 but will not face an additional suspension. The league determined that his ejection in the first seconds of Week 1 counted as a one-game suspension, meaning the penalty is considered already served.
The incident took place on Thursday, September 4, 2025, at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia during the Eagles’ season-opening matchup against the Dallas Cowboys. Moments after kickoff, Carter confronted quarterback Dak Prescott near the Dallas huddle. He spat in Prescott’s direction during an argument, leading officials to eject him before he played a single snap. Referee Shawn Smith explained the decision afterward, “It’s a disqualifiable foul in the game. It’s a non-football act.”
The league issued a statement that read, “Jalen Carter of the Philadelphia Eagles has been suspended without pay for one game for his act of unsportsmanlike conduct in last Thursday’s game against the Dallas Cowboys. Because Carter was disqualified before participating in a single play, the suspension is considered to have been served in Week 1 and he will forfeit his game check.” The NFL added, “League rules prohibiting unsportsmanlike conduct are of vital importance to everyone involved in the game. The NFL has been clear with players, clubs, and the NFLPA that it plans to place particular emphasis on sportsmanship this season.”
Carter addressed the situation after the game. “It was a mistake that happened on my side, and it just won’t happen again,” he said. “I feel bad, just for my teammates and the fans out there. It won’t happen again. I made that promise.” His agent, Drew Rosenhaus, confirmed that no appeal would be filed: “After talking to the Eagles, the NFL and the NFLPA, Jalen has decided not to appeal and focus on the Chiefs game.”
Prescott described what led to the confrontation, saying, “(H)e was trolling, I guess you could say, trying to mess with Tyler Booker. I was just looking at him. I was right here by the two linemen, and I guess I needed to spit, and I wasn’t going to spit on my lineman and I just spit ahead. … And he goes, ‘Are you trying to spit on me?’”
The ejection cast a shadow over what was otherwise an emotional night for Philadelphia. The Eagles raised their Super Bowl banner before defeating Dallas 24-20 in a weather-delayed game. Carter walked off the field as officials escorted him to the locker room, while Prescott and the Cowboys continued without further incident.
The disciplinary decision also intersected with betting markets. Sportsbooks initially listed Kansas City as a small home favorite, but once Carter’s availability was confirmed and injury news settled, lines shifted toward Philadelphia. DraftKings moved from Chiefs -1.5 at open to Eagles -1 by Tuesday, with a total of 46.5 points. FanDuel listed Philadelphia -1.5 (-102) with the same over/under, while BetMGM posted Eagles -1 (-105), Chiefs +1 (-115) and a total of 47. Caesars showed alternating prices, sometimes listing Philadelphia +1.5 or Kansas City +1.5, reflecting volatility in a tightly projected game. Action Network’s tracker confirmed the flip from Chiefs -1.5 to Eagles -1.5 by midweek.
Futures markets continue to place both franchises among the NFL’s top contenders. According to VegasInsider’s consensus board, Philadelphia sits around +650 to win the Super Bowl and Kansas City near +750. For individual honors, Patrick Mahomes remains one of the leading candidates for MVP, while Jalen Hurts has slid into the mid-teens, with odds ranging around 15-1 to 20-1 depending on the sportsbook. Carter is still listed between 20-1 and 25-1 for Defensive Player of the Year.
This latest controversy adds to a track record of disciplinary issues for Carter. Last season, he was penalized three times for unnecessary roughness and fined $17,445 for an open-handed blow to the head of Washington Commanders center Tyler Biadasz in the NFC Championship Game. He was also benched in December after a penalty against the Pittsburgh Steelers led to a heated exchange with defensive line coach Clint Hurtt. Carter’s history extends to college, where he pleaded no contest to misdemeanor reckless driving and racing charges related to a fatal car crash in January 2023 that killed Georgia teammate Devin Willock and recruiting staffer Chandler LeCroy. He was sentenced to one year of probation and fined $1,000.
Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni has handled disciplinary matters privately and declined to say whether the team might add its own punishment. “I’m going to keep everything that I do with him private, regardless of if you see it on Sunday or not,” he said. “Everything, every conversation, whether it’s a personal conversation, a disciplinary thing, all those things will always be handled privately. I just think that’s the way to go about doing team business and when you’re doing things with a football team.”
