“Suspend That Man”: Stephen A. Smith Wants Jalen Carter Gone for Spitting on Dak Prescott Before a Freaking Snap

Nidhi | 05/09/2025
Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter (98) against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Lincoln Financial Field.

Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter, one of the most dominant young players in the NFL, has found himself at the center of controversy after being ejected from Sunday’s game against the Dallas Cowboys. Before a single snap was even played.

The shocking reason? He spat on Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott during pre-snap jawing, sparking immediate outrage across the league.

ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith wasted no time unloading his reaction on social media, calling the incident “inexcusable.”

“WTH did I just see? Jalen Carter — the best player on the Eagles defense — just got thrown out of the game before a freakin’ snap for SPITTING…. SPITTING on Dak Prescott. To hell with just an ejection. Suspend that man. How in the HELL could you do something like that? Inexcusable! Stupid! Selfish!” Smith ranted on Twitter.

The bizarre altercation unfolded moments before kickoff, as the Cowboys lined up for their opening play. According to officials on the field, Carter engaged in trash talk with Prescott before committing the shocking act, which immediately led to a flag and his ejection.

Fans in attendance and watching at home were left stunned, with replays capturing the unthinkable moment. Many agreed with Smith about suspending Carter for the rest of the season.

 

 

The incident also reigned scrutiny of Carter’s troubled past, most notably his connection to the 2023 car crash that claimed the lives of Georgia offensive lineman Devin Willock and recruiting staffer Chandler LeCroy. Carter later pleaded no contest to two misdemeanor charges stemming from the crash.

 

As of now, the NFL has not announced whether further punishment is coming, but if Smith’s reaction is any indication, calls for suspension will only grow louder.

For Jalen Carter, his immense talent may not be enough to shield him from the backlash of one of the ugliest pre-snap incidents the league has seen in years.

Post Edited By: Nidhi

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Nidhi

Nidhi is an NFL Editor for The SportsRush. Her interest in NFL began with 'The Blindside' and has been working as an NFL journalist for the past year. As an athlete herself, she uses her personal experience to cover sports immaculately. She is a graduate of English Literature and when not doing deep dives into Mahomes' latest family drama, she inhales books on her kindle like nobody's business. She is proud that she recognised Travis Kelce's charm (like many other NFL fangirls) way before Taylor Swift did, and is waiting with bated breath for the new album to drop.

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