The Eagles sit at 8–4 and hold first place in the NFC East, but the final stretch brings little room for error. That makes the latest update on Jalen Carter difficult news for Philadelphia. The defensive tackle underwent a procedure on both shoulders this week, forcing him out of Monday’s matchup against the Chargers.
The team has moved him to a week-to-week designation as they try to manage the injury and keep him available for the postseason push.
Carter had been dealing with shoulder trouble for some time, mentioning discomfort after the loss to the Bears. Despite the issue, he continued to take heavy snaps and remained one of the most active pieces on the defensive front.
The medical staff stepped in now to prevent the problem from escalating, choosing to address it before the wear of December football made it worse.
“Sources: Eagles DT Jalen Carter is out for Monday night’s game vs. the Chargers after undergoing a procedure this past Monday on both his shoulders. Carter now is undergoing treatment on both shoulders, and he will be considered be week to week to return. Carter wanted to be as close to 100% as possible for the playoff run,” Adam Schefter REPORTED.
Sources: Eagles DT Jalen Carter is out for Monday night’s game vs. the Chargers after undergoing a procedure this past Monday on both his shoulders. Carter now is undergoing treatment on both shoulders, and he will be considered be week to week to return. Carter wanted to be as… pic.twitter.com/5qDTAyiLUp
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 4, 2025
Through 10 games this season, all starts, Carter has logged 32 tackles and two sacks. He added four tackles and a sack in last week’s outing, showing how disruptive he can be even while banged up. Those numbers underline why his absence leaves a noticeable gap in the middle of Philadelphia’s defense.
It’s an unfavorable moment to lose a core defender, especially with playoff positioning tightening and every game carrying added weight. However, it was completely necessary to undergo the procedure with the long-term plan in mind.
Jalen Carter Was Fined For Unsportsmanlike Conduct
This season has also included disciplinary setbacks for Carter. In Week 1, he was ejected before playing a snap after spitting toward an opposing quarterback, Dak Prescott, during pre-game exchanges.
The league fined him the equivalent of a full game check ($57,222) for that incident, marking his first major penalty of the year.
Later in September, he received another fine, this time for taunting after a blocked field goal against the Rams. The league classified the post-play actions as unsportsmanlike conduct, adding more than $11,000 to his growing list of penalties.
The NFL fined #Eagles DT Jalen Carter $11,593 for taunting after a FG block in last week’s win over the #Rams.
It’s the second time this season Carter has been disciplined for unsportsmanlike conduct. He was ejected and docked a game check for spitting on Dak Prescott in Week 1. pic.twitter.com/PoAc0TCS6j
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) September 27, 2025
The fines and ejection created early turbulence around a player who remains one of the most talented interior linemen on the roster.
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