Sportsnaut
The NFL Kickoff Game on Thursday night delivered a classic rivalry battle between the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles. Just seconds into the night, All-Pro defensive tackle Jalen Carter was ejected for spitting on an opponent.
Dallas took the kickoff to open Thursday’s game at their own 32-yard line, with the offense coming onto the field. As the Cowboys huddled up, the Eagles’ All-Pro defensive tackle approached the huddle and confronted quarterback Dak Prescott. Moments later, Carter spit on Prescott.
It all happened right in front of the head official, who flagged Carter for unsportsmanlike conduct and immediately ejected him from the game. In an instant, Philadelphia lost its All-Pro defender for the remainder of the night. Carter will also likely be fined by the NFL in a few days.
Related: NFL Defense Rankings 2025, see where the Eagles Defense Lands
Dallas took full advantage of the 15-yard penalty, which gave them a first down at their 47-yard line. With arguably the best defensive tackle in football off the field, Dallas immediately ripped off a 7-yard run by Javonte Williams and then a 4-yard run for a first down.
After Prescott hit CeeDee Lamb for a 32-yard play, Eagles cornerback Adoree Jackson was flagged for defensive pass interference in the end zone on Lamb. On the very next play, Cowboys running back Javonte Williams punched it in for the 1-yard score, the first touchdown of the 2025 NFL season.
Related: Game-by-Game Philadelphia Eagles Predictions 2025
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