NFL Referee Finally Explains Why Jalen Carter Was Ejected for Spitting During Cowboys-Eagles Game

Thursday night, the Cowboys-Eagles game was shaken early when Philadelphia defensive tackle Jalen Carter was ejected before he took a snap. The pool report was quickly released to explain the ruling.

Referee Shawn Smith said that Carter was disqualified after “one of the officials observed him spitting on an opponent.” When asked why the punishment was ejection rather than another penalty, Smith was direct: “It’s a disqualifiable foul in the game. It’s a non-football act.”

The incident happened during an injury timeout after the opening kickoff, when cameras recorded Carter nose-to-nose with Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott before the spit. The act immediately provoked an unsportsmanlike penalty and sent Carter to the locker room, depriving the Eagles of their Pro Bowl defensive tackle in the very first game.

On the Jalen Carter ejection. Here’s the pool report:#Eagles #Cowboys pic.twitter.com/eyJJRYwOjW

— Jeff Kerr (@JeffKerrCBS) September 5, 2025

The decision shows just how much the NFL takes heed of behavior that extends past football play. Spitting is perceived as being both disrespectful and dangerous, squarely within the “non-football act” rubric.

The question now is what will be next. Carter will more than likely be fined under the league’s rules against unsportsmanlike conduct. As per the NFL rulebook, $14,491 is fined for the first offense, and $20,288 is fined for the second offense under the ‘Unsportsmanlike Conduct‘ violation category. But there is also increasing speculation that a suspension will follow for Carter, adding additional pressure on the defense of Philadelphia.

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