The season opener between the Cowboys and Eagles got started with a flash point no one could avoid. Defensive tackle Jalen Carter was ejected before Philadelphia ever had a chance to run its first offensive play, after spitting on Dallas’ quarterback Dak Prescott.

What happened on the field caught players and fans alike off guard. In front of the media, Carter took responsibility for wrongdoing but made one thing clear. He owned up to what he did. “I made a mistake,” Carter said. “I feel bad for my teammates and the fans out there. I’m doing it for them, and it won’t happen again.”

However, the apology did not name Prescott. Carter still believes Dak’s actions caused the fire, with the quarterback spitting on the ground in front of him first. To Carter, his response was a mistake, but one that should not have happened. But let’s note down that the apology was for fans and teammates, which forces us to focus more on the new twist in the tale.

The spat played over and over on the social media sites, revealing Prescott and Carter talking to each other during an injury delay for Eagles fullback Ben VanSumeren, who remained on the ground for several minutes. And then the spit, a violation of all sporting decorum. Within minutes, the bright star was walking back to the locker room, teammates rushing to adapt on the fly. For the Eagles, Carter’s absence threw off early game strategy and made defensive coaches shuffle their rotation. For Carter, it was yet another moment where attention found him for all the wrong reasons.

Prescott called the situation a misunderstanding that escalated, explaining he frequently spits during games and was spitting to avoid his linemen while watching Carter “mess with” rookie guard Tyler Booker. Carter asked if he was trying to spit on him, which Prescott found offensive. “I wouldn’t spit on somebody,” Prescott said. “I stepped through and actually said words like, ‘The hell — excuse me, but probably even more colorful — what would I need to spit on you for?’ And he just spit on me in that moment. It was more of a surprise than anything.”

It was not the first controversy of that nature to surround him. At the University of Georgia, he was part of a street-racing accident that resulted in the death of two members. Carter had pleaded no contest to street racing and reckless driving charges, and with a $1,000 fine, 12 months’ probation, and a defensive driving course.

The debate took on new life when veteran center Jason Kelce was compelled to take action. Kelce, a man who would not hold back the truth, discussed what he witnessed.

Jason Kelce breaks down Carter situation

“And Dak spits down towards the ground,” Kelce said. “But towards the Eagles with Carter, who had walked there. That starts the two’s interaction. Prescott’s spit was down.” Kelce’s account makes Prescott’s action appear careless instead of malicious. The quarterback did not have Carter in his sights, but the spit happened to go in the wrong place at the worst time. However, it was enough to stir the pot in a charged divisional contest. Carter, already agitated, construed it as disrespect and reacted in a manner that crossed the line.

That backdrop adds nuance to what otherwise was a white-and-black situation. Was Prescott negligent in terms of place and timing? Or did tense Carter overdo it in the competing environment, or was the referee at fault, turning what could have been a 15-yard penalty into a full-blown ejection?

Carter insists his focus is now on regaining trust. “I’ve got to own up to it. It’s about controlling my emotions,” he said. His mistake cost the Eagles in the first quarter as Williams scored two rushing touchdowns. Yet his words still stop short of reconciliation with Prescott, leaving the quarterback to address the fallout himself.

One sure thing is that the NFL rulebook and the referees themselves are once again in the spotlight. Behavior is being enforced more strictly, and a moment can now change not only a game strategy but the trajectory of a rivalry.