Jalen Carter was finally asked about the rumors of an alleged incident during the Philadelphia Eagles bye week that happened at a Center City Target store.
It was there that the rookie defensive tackle’s girlfriend was allegedly not swiping some items, perhaps thinking she was actually swiping them over the scanner, that were being purchased and Carter picked up the bags, perhaps assuming they were paid for, and tried to walk out as security approached him.
Carter allegedly wasn’t happy about it and did immediately cooperate with security, but there were no charges filed.
“Probably just some misunderstanding,” said Carter inside the Eagles locker room on Friday. “I really don’t know much too much about it.”
The shame of the matter is that the alleged incident somewhat overshadowed his Thanksgiving Meal Serve for the Wissahickon Boys & Girls Club of Philadelphia. Giving back to the community, Carter said, is something very important to him.
“Growing up my mom had a daycare so every day after school I’d come to the daycare and I was one of the workers,” he said. “Even though I was her son, I was one of the workers. So, just working with kids ever since I was a little kid, I just wanted to give back.”
Carter has given back at various events while he was at the University of Georgia and in his hometown of Apopka, Fla. He has another giveaway event planned in Apopka on Nov. 27, the day after the Eagles host the Buffalo Bills in Week 12.
First, however, Carter and his teammates have a big game scheduled for Monday night against the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium.
Carter said he went to last year’s Super Bowl between the Chiefs and Eagles, having no idea he would be with the Eagles just about two months later when they took him ninth overall in the NFL Draft.
He said he rooted for both teams but is now looking forward to playing them and quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
“He’s a very awesome quarterback,” said Carter. “I’ve seen what he’s been doing since I was back in college. He’s an awesome player and I’m ready to play him.
“We’re going to do what we do. We’ll try to rush as a unit, rush as one, probably try to keep him contained and collapse the pocket then make a play off that.”
Carter has made many plays in his first nine games as a professional, so many in fact that he is the odds-on favorite to win Defensive Rookie of the Year, which would be the first time an Eagles player has ever done that.
“I think I’ve been doing good,” he said. “I hear good feedback from BG (Brandon Graham) and all the veterans on the team. I feel very confident in my gameplay and my film. Defensive Rookie of the Year is just talk.”
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