e defensive tackle Jalen Carter was fined $57,222 by the NFL on Tuesday for his actions in the opening moments of the 2025 season. But there are some who believe that there should have been a harsher punishment handed down, including ESPN’s Stephen A Smith.
Jalen Carter Fined, Not Suspended, For Spitting Incident
Carter was ejected before he was ever able to play a snap. After the opening kickoff of Thursday’s season opening game between the Eagles and Cowboys, Carter appeared to spit on the chest area of Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott, which was something that both the cameras and referees caught on to.
The 24-year-old was immediately removed from the game, and his absence was felt. There was some serious speculation about how the league would handle the issue going forward, and whether Carter would be suspended for any certain amount of time.
NFL is fining Eagles DT Jalen Carter $57,222 for spitting on Dak Prescott. The league also says the game he was ejected for will serve as a one-game suspension. “After talking to the Eagles, the NFL and the NFLPA, Jalen has decided not to appeal and focus on the Chiefs game,”… pic.twitter.com/2KjRzgJk3K
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 9, 2025
Instead, the NFL announced on Tuesday that he would be fined $57,222, which is the amount that he earns per week on his current contract.
Smith thinks there should have been more repercussions, as he discussed on Wednesday’s episode of First Take:
“I’m not satisfied, I thought he should have been for this week. To spit on another person, it doesn’t get much more disrespectful than that.”
Carter is arguably the most important piece on Philadelphia’s defensive unit. He was selected with the 9th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, and has helped the Eagles as a front line anchor in his first two seasons in the league. In 2024, he was named as a Second-Team All-Pro by recording 4.5 sacks and 12 tackles for loss, and was a key asset for the team’s march to a Super Bowl victory.
Speaking of the Super Bowl, the Eagles’ Week 2 game will be played against the Kansas City Chiefs, who they defeated handily in the big game back in February. Philadelphia is currently listed as a 1.5-point favorite after the teams had opposite results during NFL opening weekend.
