There has been speculation that Philadelphia Eagles defensive lineman Jalen Carter could be suspended for spitting at Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott. That apparently won’t happen.
A league official told USA TODAY Sports’ Jarrett Bell that a suspension for Carter isn’t on the table. The official was granted anonymity because the NFL is still examining the situation.
Carter was arguing with Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott and spit at the quarterback. He was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct and ejected.
“It was a mistake that happened on my side, and it just won’t happen again,’ Carter said. ‘I feel bad, just for my teammates and the fans out there. It won’t happen again. I made that promise.’
“(H)e was trolling, I guess you could say, trying to mess with Tyler Booker,’ Prescott said. ‘I was just looking at him. I was right here by the two linemen, and I guess I needed to spit, and I wasn’t going to spit on my lineman and I just spit ahead. … And he goes, ‘Are you trying to spit on me?’’
The incident happened after fullback Ben VanSumeren was injured during the opening kickoff. Eagles and Cowboys players hung around the 30-yard line and that’s when the spitting took place.
‘It’s a disqualifiable foul in the game,’ referee Shawn Smith told a pool reporter. ‘It’s a non-football act.’
The NFL has indicated that sportsmanship is a point of emphasis for officials.
