Eagles’ Jalen Carter fined by NFL for spitting incident, eligible to play vs. Chiefs
Carter will forfeit his game check, and the NFL will count his ejection from Thursday’s game against the Cowboys as his one-game suspension.
Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter will be available for the team’s Week 2 game Sunday in Kansas City.
Carter has been suspended one game without pay by the NFL, which ruled Tuesday that the timing of his Thursday ejection for spitting on Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott served as his one-game punishment. He will forfeit his game check of $57,222.
According to a news release, the NFL Players Association informed the league that Carter will not appeal the ruling.
» READ MORE: Eagles vs. Chiefs in Week 2: Here are the numbers that matter
“League rules prohibiting unsportsmanlike conduct are of vital importance to everyone involved in the game,” the NFL said in a release. “The NFL has been clear with players, clubs, and the NFLPA that it plans to place particular emphasis on sportsmanship this season.”
Carter, who arguably is the most important player on the Eagles’ defense, was ejected from their Week 1 game before the first play from scrimmage. Without him on Thursday, the Eagles struggled to apply pressure on Prescott and did not sack him.
“You got to be focused at the job at hand, and all extracurricular stuff needs to not have any importance to you,” Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said Tuesday.
Fangio now can continue his planning for Kansas City knowing the Eagles will have Carter available. In addition to the league’s ruling, the Eagles could levy their own punishment against Carter. Nick Sirianni has said repeatedly that he would keep any internal discipline against Carter “private.” Carter was held out of the opening series in Week 2 last year during a home game against Atlanta after being late to a team meeting.
» READ MORE: Eagles’ Jalen Carter has much at stake this season: ‘God put him on this earth to be a mean football player’
The Eagles anticipated Carter stepping into a leadership role in his third season. The interior line group is young, and Carter is one of the game’s premier players at his position. He will be in line for a lucrative extension next offseason.
“To be considered a leader, actions speak louder than words, and he’s got to lead through his actions,” Fangio said.