Prescott said he simply spit straight ahead as he usually would, only for the saliva to land in the area near Carter, which raised the ire of the defenseman.

Prescott said Carter asked, “You trying to spit on me?”

“He was insulting me,” Prescott said. “I wouldn’t spit on somebody. I’m definitely not trying to spit on you. We’re about to play a game.”

Carter could be headed toward a hefty financial penalty, if not worse, in the first major test of the NFL’s increased emphasis this season on sportsmanship.

“One of the officials observed him spitting on an opponent,” referee Shawn Smith told a pool reporter. “It’s a disqualifiable foul in the game. It’s a non-football act.”

The Eagles took Carter out of Georgia with the No. 9 overall pick in the 2023 draft.

The 24-year-old Carter has quickly blossomed into one of the top defensive lineman and played a key role in helping the Eagles win the Super Bowl last season.

“I wanted to be out there with the guys so bad,” Carter said.

Just this week, defensive coordinator Vic Fangio praised the edge Carter brought to the unit.

“I don’t know that nastiness is the right word,” Fangio said. “I just think he has to play with the right mindset to reach his potential, or come close to reaching his potential. He’s just got to be on top of the details, play with great effort, and be focused.”

He couldn’t stay focused long enough in the opener to take a defensive snap.