Stephen A. Smith Rips ‘Stupid’ Jalen Carter for Spitgate Incident That Nearly Doomed Eagles TNF Opener

The Philadelphia Eagles went into Thursday night’s season opener against the Dallas Cowboys expecting defensive anchor Jalen Carter to set the tone. Instead, one of the NFL’s brightest young stars was ejected before he even played a snap, as he spat on Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott.

The moment not only stunned fans but also left ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith fuming on First Take.

“I don’t want his reputation tainted. I don’t want him smeared. But when you spit on a man, when you spit on him on the football field, when you spit on a quarterback and you get yourself ejected before the game, Dak Prescott wasn’t sacked once last night,” Smith said (3:03).

He further stressed how it adversely impacted Nick Sirianni’s squad.

“We didn’t anticipate that was going to happen, but it happened because you weren’t out there. And the Philadelphia Eagles had to adjust to life without their best defensive player. You thought about yourself. You didn’t think about your teammates at all. It was stupid,” Smith added.

Smith didn’t hold back, blasting the defensive tackle for walking off the field “with a smile” and calling his actions “immature.” The analyst added that Carter didn’t just deserve a rejection but also a suspension.

Carter later apologized, admitting it was a mistake that he wouldn’t repeat. But for Smith, the damage was already done. The ejection left a glaring hole in an already thin Eagles defense after they lost Milton Williams and Josh Sweat in the offseason.

Without their defensive end, Philadelphia’s pass rush failed to touch Prescott, and America’s Team looked comfortable against the reigning Super Bowl champions despite the 20-24 loss.

Jalen Carter and Dak Prescott Make Feelings Clear on Eagles vs. Cowboys Spitgate Event

Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter was tossed just moments into the first quarter after spitting on Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, as referees quickly flagged it as an unsportsmanlike foul.

Referee Shawn Smith explained the call bluntly, saying:

“One of the officials observed him spitting on an opponent. It’s a disqualifiable foul in the game. It’s a non-football act.”

The ejection left Philadelphia scrambling to adjust defensively without its most disruptive force. After the game, Carter publicly 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.”

Prescott, who was on the receiving end of the spit, took a more measured tone. While clarifying that he never intended the matter to escalate, the Cowboys QB admitted it was a strange exchange.

“Unfortunate circumstances,” Prescott said. “I spit straight ahead like I always do, and it landed near him. He asked me if I was trying to spit on him. I wasn’t. We were about to play a game.”

The fallout leaves Philadelphia with bigger questions. Already dealing with offseason losses along the defensive line, the Eagles’ pass rush looked toothless without Carter, allowing Prescott a clean pocket all night. It might have been a win for the Eagles, but the standings and the psychological battle were with the Cowboys.

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