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Cowboys’ Dak Prescott says he told Jalen Carter he didn’t spit at him: ‘Then he just spit on me’

Prescott described what led up to the Eagles defensive end spitting on him and getting ejected from Thursday's game.

The Eagles did not sack the Cowboys' Dak Prescott and registered just one quarterback hit.
The Eagles did not sack the Cowboys' Dak Prescott and registered just one quarterback hit.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
    by Matt Breen
    Published 

Dak Prescott said he spits “a thousand times” each game and needed to find a place to do so before the opening snap of Thursday’s NFL opener at Lincoln Financial Field.

The Dallas Cowboys quarterback did not want to spit on his offensive linemen, so he looked over them and spit straight away, which happened to be in the direction of Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter.

Carter, the quarterback said, was standing about 12 feet away and shouting at Dallas rookie offensive lineman Tyler Booker when Prescott spit.

» READ MORE: Jalen Carter spat on Dak Prescott. Selfish. Stupid. The Eagles should suspend him.

“He goes, ‘Are you trying to spit on me?’ I felt like he was insulting me,” Prescott said after the Eagles’ 24-20 win. “I’m not trying to spit on somebody, and I’m damn sure not going to spit on you. We’re about to play a game, and I’m wondering why you’re messing with the rookie. I stepped through, and I said, ‘What would I need to spit on you for?’ Then he just spit on me. It was more of a surprise than anything.”

Prescott simply turned to the referee after Carter’s spit landed near the shoulder of his uniform. A penalty flag was thrown, and Carter was ejected without playing a snap.

“I was like, ‘Hell yeah. We’ll get 15 yards to start the game off,’” Prescott said. “I didn’t realize he was getting ejected. It’s unfortunate that he did. He’s a hell of a player. I don’t wish for anyone to get out of a game, and I’m sure he regrets that to some extent. I’m pretty sure he knows that I wasn’t trying to spit on him or even aiming to spit on him. For him to react and spit, I’m sure it’s not something he’s proud of.”

Carter’s ejection, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said, was a result of an emphasis on sportsmanship this season by the league’s competition committee.

Dallas defensive end Sam Williams said he’s never seen someone spit on an opponent.

“It’s not even disrespectful. It’s just hateful,” Williams said. “Just don’t spit on me, please. Because then we’re both going to be in the locker room.”

Dallas running back Javonte Williams was on the field when Carter spit on Prescott but did not see it happen. He found out later that Prescott had been spit on. A lot happens on a football field but Williams said spitting crosses a line.

“I feel like that goes beyond football,” Williams said. “Once you do stuff like that, that’s a little bit too much.”

The Cowboys adjusted their blocking schemes as the Eagles’ potential game-wrecker spent nearly the entire game in the locker room. They spent the lead-up to Thursday’s opener scheming ways to stop Carter but he became a nonfactor.

The Eagles did not sack Prescott and registered just one quarterback hit. Prescott said he was only on the ground after making a tackle following Cowboys running back Miles Sanders’ third-quarter fumble.

“It’s war out there,” Sanders, a former Eagles running back, said of the spitting. “Anything can happen on the battlefield. That’s the way I look at it. I was just happy we got him out of the game. Our whole protection changed and made our mentality a little easier.”

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    Matt Breen
    I write feature stories about all Philadelphia sports, constantly looking for stories that resonate with Philadelphians.
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