Cowboys QB Dak Prescott gives his side of Jalen Carter spitting incident

There was plenty of drama even before the Dallas Cowboys took their first snap on offense Thursday night.

Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter and Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott shared a few words as the teams took the field, leading to Carter spitting on Prescott. The defender was ejected from the game, and the Eagles took a 15-yard penalty.

Later during the broadcast, a video surfaced of Prescott spitting first, prompting the question about who started Spitgate. Following the game, Prescott tried to put the issue to rest, saying he was spitting on the ground, something he does constantly throughout the game.

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He added that he was looking in Carter's direction due to the defensive lineman messing with rookie Tyler Booker.

"I probably spit about 1,000 times throughout the game, especially game day, maybe generally," said Prescott. "In that case, he was trolling, trying to mess with Tyler Booker. I was looking at him by the two linemen. I guess I needed to spit, I wasn't going to spit on my lineman, I spit ahead. He was back there, and he said, 'You trying to spit on me?'"

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott looks on during the fourth quarter of the game against the Philadelphia Eagles. | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

"At that point, I felt like he was insulting me. I wouldn't spit on somebody. I'm damn sure not trying to spit on you; we're about to play a game. I'm wondering why you're trying to mess with the rookie."

Prescott also told reporters what he said to Carter right before being spat on.

"When I stepped through, I said, 'What would I need to spit on you for?' and he spit on me in that moment. It was more of a surprise than anything."

Dak Prescott’s full explanation on what happened between him and Jalen Carter. #spitgate @InfSportsNet @1053thefan @SportsRadioWIP pic.twitter.com/Now1wBoB09
— Zach Gelb (@ZachGelb) September 5, 2025

Prescott said it was an unfortunate situation and while he was happy to get the 15 yards, he seemed to prefer going against Philly at full strength.

"I didn't realize he was getting ejected," Prescott said after the game. "Unfortunate that he did. He is a hell of a player. It changed our plan and our blocking scheme, as I've told you before the week that we're going to protect against him."

While Prescott seems ready to move on, this is sure to be a hot topic and will be front and center when the two teams meet again in November.

Dallas Cowboys QB Dak Prescott looks to pass the ball against the Philadelphia Eagles. | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

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