The stage was set. It was the first season opener between the Cowboys and the Eagles. As the players arrived on the field, QB Dak Prescott was talking to DT Jalen Carter. The first six seconds escalated so quickly that the tackle ended up spitting on the signal caller’s jersey. He raised his hands in disbelief, and the referee ran to him and gave the unsportsmanlike penalty. It ended with his ejection from the game. Now, the onus lies with the HC Nick Sirianni.

The coach is preparing to give a critical lesson. He is ready to take the lead on the situation and said, “We have to get all of these things corrected. I Coach with emotion. I want them to play with emotion. But you have to play within the rules. We will handle it in-house. We need him to be out there.” The coach also explained that they needed Carter on the field, but the player made a heavy mistake. Hence, now the team is planning to internally discuss and take disciplinary action against him.

On the league’s side, per their playbook, $14,491 is fined for the first offense, and $20,288 for the second offense under ‘Unsportsmanlike Conduct‘ violation. So, it’s highly likely that Carter will be heavily fined. And we can’t forget that the player has already been fined ($17,445) in last season’s NFC Championship for an open-handed blow to the head that sent center Tyler Biadasz flying to the ground. This recent is another one for him.

Jalen Carter’s rise in Philadelphia has been as explosive as it has been unpredictable. From his debut sack on Mac Jones to a 42-yard fumble return touchdown against Dallas, the “baby rhino,” as Darius Slay once called him, made it clear he was no ordinary rookie. Six sacks and a PFWA All-Rookie nod set the tone, but by 2024, he was a Pro Bowler, wrecking games like the snowy Divisional Round against the Rams, where his late sack of Matthew Stafford sealed the win.

He lifted the Lombardi in Super Bowl LIX, anchoring a defensive line that never blitzed yet crushed Patrick Mahomes. Still, the story isn’t clean. Fines for striking opponents, skipping the White House visit, and now his 2025 ejection for spitting on Dak Prescott paint a complicated picture.

This isn’t just about one night. With taunting penalties up 55% and unsportsmanlike gestures spiking 133% last year, per NFL data, the league is drawing a hard line. Carter’s act could escalate into a suspension. Smith will likely face fines. And for Nick Sirianni, this is a warning shot. Jalen Carter is dominant, volatile, and impossible to ignore. But the coach is happy with the way the game played out.

After Jalen Carter comments, Nick Sirianni praises his offensive coordinator

Nick Sirianni didn’t hold back after the Eagles’ season-opening win over the Cowboys. “Three possessions, three touchdowns,” he said with a grin when asked about Kevin Patullo’s debut as offensive play-caller. “Can’t start much better than that.” For a coach who preaches rhythm and execution, it was the ultimate endorsement.

Patullo, long known as a detail-obsessed assistant in Indy, Tennessee, and New York, finally got his chance in the spotlight. On Thursday night, he turned that trust into results. The Eagles opened the game firing, Jalen Hurts orchestrating a balanced attack that looked smooth even amid chaos. The chaos that Jalen Carter’s shocking ejection for spitting on Dak Prescott set a volatile tone, and later, a 63-minute weather delay threatened to drain momentum.

Yet, Patullo’s scripted offense had already given Philly the cushion they needed. Dallas fought back. Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders ripped off big runs, Brandon Aubrey nailed a 53-yard field goal. But when crunch time arrived, the Eagles held their nerve. A 24–20 victory wasn’t just a win; it was a message.

For the Cowboys, heartbreak. But for the defending champs, it’s validation. Patullo’s debut showed that Philly’s standard hasn’t slipped. If anything, it might be rising.