Before the 2025 NFL season began, the players were shown a 7-minute 43-second video where league executive Troy Vincent informed them about the league’s increased emphasis on sportsmanship this season. The Dallas Cowboys-Philadelphia Eagles season opener, however, became a classic example of ‘what not to do’. Six seconds into the game, during an injury timeout for Eagles fullback/special teams ace Ben VanSumeren, Cowboys QB Dak Prescott smirked and spat in Eagles DT Jalen Carter’s direction. Intentionally or not, it provoked the DT. In the turn of events, the defensive star spat on the QB’s jersey, who quickly pointed it out to the nearby referee.

Just then, former Eagles DE Brandon Graham, who was entering his suite at the Lincoln Financial Field, saw Carter being booed as he walked off the field. But Graham believes if he was on the field, he could’ve stopped the situation from even beginning. As he sat down with co-host Bo Wulf on his podcast yesterday, Brandon Graham Unblocked, the 2x Super Bowl champion said, “I see the replay, I didn’t even see Dak did what he did. I was just like ‘Man, what happened? You was having that much of a bad day, my boy? I came here to watch you, boy. Come on! ‘Cause I knew you were about to tear it up.’

“But I look at it like, ‘Man, I wish I was out there with him. Like, that’s how I feel. Because, more than likely, I’d have been right there with him talking my stuff just like him. I would’ve seen something at least… Like, ‘Come on, man. It ain’t worth it.’ Or I would’ve been like ‘Hey, what you doing?’ I don’t even know if it would’ve played out like that ’cause Dak would’ve had to say something to me. He wouldn’t have time to spit.”

After being flagged for a 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty, Carter was ejected from the game due to what the referees stated as a ‘non-football disqualifiable foul’. The league later fined $57,222 and marked Carter’s absence for the Week-1 matchup. Since the penalty was retrospective, as Carter was ejected before his team could take their first snap, the DT will be suiting up for a 2025 Super Bowl rematch against the Kansas City Chiefs in week 2.

But if we look at it, Graham might be correct when he said how he could’ve stopped the Spitgate. In his storied 15-year career with the Eagles, the DE was captain six times and embodied everything that the organization believed in. Not only was he trusted, but he was also respected by his teammates. If his tactics to trash-talk his opponents hadn’t worked, he could’ve stopped Carter from doing something that would hurt him back, especially in a season that matters.

In his third year now, Carter is the Eagles’ centerpiece up front after Fletcher Cox’s retirement, and coaches expect him to anchor Vic Fangio’s revamped defensive scheme. And that’s why this ejection cut deeper. The Cowboys didn’t just take out a player; they neutralized the guy who’s supposed to be Philly’s game-changer. Although he already carries some history of unsportsmanlike behavior, the broadcast cameras also showed Prescott provoking the DT. The QB, however, took the innocent route after their loss. 

He brushed off any fingers being pointed at him, “I spit 10,000 times during a game.” But the timing was too perfect to ignore. Dak baited Carter, and Carter took it. That’s where Graham’s absence hurt. He’s played 14 seasons in Philly, survived every coaching change, and delivered the strip sack that sealed a Super Bowl. He knows the line between intimidation and self-destruction. Carter, for all his freakish talent, is still learning. Every dominant defensive tackle has had this moment. For the Eagles, the hope now remains that this ejection doesn’t define Carter but transforms him.

After the game, Jalen Carter’s apology was genuine and personal. “It was a mistake on my side. It just won’t happen again,” he said, visibly disappointed, not just for himself, but for his teammates, fans, and family who stood behind him. Now, the spotlight shifts. Talent brought Carter to the NFL, but discipline and control will define his legacy. Week 2 against the Chiefs isn’t just another game; it’s redemption, a chance to turn a $57K mistake into growth and show Graham that he doesn’t need the veteran’s help in guiding himself.