Philadelphia Eagles defensive lineman Jalen Carter is expecting a suspension after being ejected for spitting on Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott in the season opener. The NFL has yet to announce a final suspension decision, but a substantial fine appears likely.
On Sunday, CBS Sports' NFL insider Jonathan Jones shared that Carter will almost certainly face a fine "to the tune of tens of thousands of dollars." He added that a suspension for the upcoming Week 2 game is still undecided but remains "very much on the table."
Jones pointed to several "mitigating factors" that the league is considering.
"Dak Prescott did spit on the ground before this," Jones said. "There is also the fact that he missed basically the entirety of the game, right? There hadn't even been a real defensive snap taken at this point, and so that will be considered as well, as well as the fact that Jalen Carter was apologetic and he did show some contrition in the locker room after the game."
At the same time, the NFL has emphasized sportsmanship, demanding players to be "great stewards of this game," per Jones. This focus on respect could act as an aggravating factor against Carter.
Carter, the ninth pick in the 2023 draft, had prior fines for unnecessary roughness last season, which could influence the severity of discipline.