Philadelphia Eagles star defensive tackle Jalen Carter was in the headlines last week for all the wrong reasons, as he was ejected from the season opener after spitting on Dallas Cowboys QB Dak Prescott.
The young defensive tackle was not suspended for his actions, as he missed the entire game, but the NFL fined him $57,222. The Eagles will be happy to have Carter back as they head to Kansas City for the Super Bowl rematch. However, that type of behavior isn’t acceptable, and it has cascading effects.
On Wednesday, Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni was asked several questions about Carter’s response to the league’s discipline and his own reaction. According to EJ Smith of PHLY, Sirianni said, “I’ll keep those conversations in house.”
Nick Sirianni Looks Out for Jalen Carter Heading into Week 2
Sirianni could have reprimanded Carter for his actions in public, as he pulled a stunt on national TV that hurt his team. It would’ve been one way to get his attention and let him know that’s not tolerated.
However, that's not the way Sirianni handles business as he looks out for his guys, and tries to keep the outside noise from getting inside the building.
Granted, the Eagles walked away with a 24-20 victory over the Cowboys, but not having Carter in the middle of the defensive line was a huge loss. The Cowboys took advantage of Carter’s absence by rushing for 119 yards.
It also put more pressure on Jordan Davis and Moro Ojomo at the defensive line, along with the other defensive line starters.
Instead, the Eagles' head coach did the right thing by saying that those conversations with the young defender are staying in-house. Carter was already getting hammered in the public eye and on social media for his actions against Dallas, so taking this approach was the best move.
On Tuesday, Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio was asked about Carter, and he didn’t mince words, saying, “To be considered a leader, actions speak louder than words. And (Carter) has to speak with his actions.”
The Eagles hope that Carter has learned his lesson, as the next time he does something on the field that might be considered unfavorable, the league surely won’t be forgiving.
He already has one strike against himself with this incident on national TV. However, Carter can start to change the narrative about himself with a good all-around performance on Sunday against the Chiefs.