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Cleveland Browns v Philadelphia Eagles - NFL Preseason 2025 Mitchell Leff/GettyImages

Former Eagles star slams 'most disrespectful' act, handing Cowboys key advantage

Originally posted on Inside the Iggles | By Gourab Saha | Last updated Sep 9, 2025 3:00 PM ET

The NFL season opener crackled with that familiar electricity. It was a night for unveiling banners and settling old scores under the Philadelphia lights. But sometimes, the first punch isn’t thrown with a fist.

A moment of pure venom changed the entire complex of the game before a single snap was even run for one Eagles star.

That venom was literal. Just six seconds into the game, Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter was ejected for spitting on Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott. The act, described by many as the ultimate sign of disrespect, immediately handed Dallas a massive advantage.

Former Eagles linebacker Seth Joyner didn’t mince words when dissecting the incident. He called the act of spitting “the most disrespectful thing you can do to another human being.” Carter’s ejection left a gaping hole in the Eagles' defensive line.

Major blow for a unit already facing questions about its leadership and consistency. And the impact was instant and stark.

The Eagles' defense looked unanchored without their disruptive force in the middle. The Cowboys capitalized, marching down the field for an opening-drive touchdown. Joyner pointed directly to the loss of veteran presence while analyzing the situation.

“On the defensive side, they were what I expected them to be, a little bit inconsistent,” Joyner began. "And then throw in the early ejection by Jalen Carter... to me that was the key to them scoring four scoring or three scoring drives in a row." So, that single act of poor sportsmanship fundamentally altered the game's strategic landscape. And it forced the Eagles to play from behind the eight-ball all night.

"We needed him [Jalen Carter] out there, and he wasn't out there against a really good offense," said coach Nick Sirianni. Jalen Hurts and the offense eventually weathered the storm for a win. But the problem isn’t going away.

The league is now mulling further punishment for Carter, with a suspension for the upcoming Super Bowl rematch against the Chiefs still a real possibility. This puts the Eagles in a precarious position. Can their defense hold up against Patrick Mahomes without its best interior lineman? The incident has exposed a fragility that goes beyond just one game.

A Leadership Vacuum Exposed by Jalen Carter

The core issue, according to voices like Joyner’s, is a deficit of leadership. Who on that defense pulls a young star aside before a heated rivalry game and reinforces composure? This leadership void could be the team's biggest vulnerability moving forward in a long, emotional season.

Even the coaching staff seems to acknowledge a disconnect. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, known for his blunt honesty, recently remarked that for Carter, “actions speak louder than words.” This public comment underscores the frustration with a player who talks about being a leader but then engages in an act that hurts his team. The Eagles need Carter on the field, not making headlines for all the wrong reasons.

Philadelphia survives September chaos better than most. They began the 2024 season 2-2. One missing piece on the defensive line can tilt third-and-mediums into Patrick Mahomes miracles. The Birds need Carter’s push more than his apology.

Bet the over on bulletin-board material. Chiefs radio already loops Carter’s clip between car ads. Andy Reid loves feeding the wolf; expect motion and rub routes aimed at the rookie replacement. On the sideline, Hurts will keep the same calm he showed finishing the Cowboys with a late first-down scramble.

When the smoke clears, character wins more rings than talent. Or as the late, great Jim Murray once typed, “The only thing worse than a loser is a bad winner.” Carter still has time to choose which side of that sentence he wants to sign.

This article first appeared on Inside the Iggles and was syndicated with permission.

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