PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – SEPTEMBER 21: Jalen Carter #98 of the Philadelphia Eagles reacts during the game against the Los Angeles Rams at Lincoln Financial Field on September 21, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Ishika Samant/Getty Images)

Jalen Carter’s 2025 season has been a rollercoaster of brilliance and breakdowns. On opening night, the Philadelphia Eagles’ star defensive tackle was ejected just six seconds into the game for spitting on Cowboys’ quarterback Dak Prescott. Then in Week 3, Carter nearly sabotaged another win when he drew a 15-yard taunting penalty after blocking Josh Karty’s first kick in the fourth quarter of that epic Eagles’ comeback win over the Rams last Sunday.

The flashes of dominance are there. Unfortunately so are the lapses in judgement and its those that have almost cost Philly some games. That’s why former Eagles defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, who knows better than most, the razor’s edge between dominance and discipline stepped in with pointed advice for the third year star.

No Stranger to Smoke
It’s pretty ironical that Suh, who was disciplined by the league five times during his 13 year NFL career, has become the purveyor of sound advice for the third year defensive lineman, who won two national championships with the Georgia Bulldogs and was drafted by the Birds ninth overall in 2023. But sometimes the guys who played with a monster chip and a little pshycho, are the ones who learned the most from their previous mistakes. Suh was one of those players who played with a blankness in his eyes because of his perceived lack of boundaries and sportsmanship morals that he conducted himself with when he played. Carter has some of that in him. You can see it. Every team could stand to benefit from an occasional enforcer or two on their roster and Carter so far fits that bill. On The Green Light Podcast with former Eagle Chris Long this past week, Suh explained exactly how Carter needs to handle himself when emotions run hot, specifically regarding Carter’s ejection :06 seconds into the current season for spitting on Dak Prescott:

“My heart of hearts would have been, Jalen man, take that one on the chin but then two or three series later go ahead, clean hit, put that elbow right into his (Prescott) ribs then get up off of him, push on his chest and say to him ‘Do you really want to start this smoke?’ But that’s how you’re being creative about it and staying within the white lines and within the rules. So that’s where you gotta teach a young guy like that to not react right away and that’s how you really get them back where it truthfully hurts… within the rules and white lines. And I think that’s just maturity.”

Then Suh pivoted from discipline to growth, making it clear he sees Carter’s potential if he commits to the same path as one of his current and former teammates at Georgia.

“I was at (Eagles) camp earlier this year… Man he’s so talented and so raw I mean… if he takes that same dedication that Jordan Davis did … and seeing his crazy raw talent. And I told him (Davis) when I was there, ‘I’m proud of you man, you lost all that weight that we talked about… you’re trimmed up… you’re focusing… you’re learning to use your hands.’ This kid was straight shoulders, man, 350 pounds … no one’s going to stop that. But now you’re seeing him bending, the scoop and score, and doing all these little things…”

What It Means for Carter
Suh isn’t preaching from a distance. He’s lived the role of feared enforcer, fined villain, and eventually, respected veteran. His message to Carter has two layers:

Control your impulsivity to react right away – that’s how you get tossed six seconds into a game. Wait for the moment when you can respond legally, physically, and decisively. Otherwise you’re just hurting your team, teammates, fans, coaches and the organization.
Follow the Davis model. Carter’s ceiling is higher than most, but Suh points to Jordan Davis as the example – quiet focus, steady discipline, and physical dominance sharpened by maturity and dedication to the champion’s grind.
Why the Eagles Need Carter to Listen and Learn
The Eagles survived both Carter’s ejection and his taunting flag last Sunday versus the Rams, but the margin is shrinking. That’s two personal fouls and one ejection in three games already this year to go along with four he racked up last season. Philadelphia can’t afford to lose its most disruptive lineman because of emotional mistakes. The difference between Carter becoming an All-Pro force and becoming a liability isn’t talent, it’s maturity.

Suh’s advice frames the challenge perfectly – strike when it matters, play within the rules, and pair raw ability with the discipline that turns highlights into a career-defining legacy.

Joe Staszak Joe Staszak is a Philadelphia-based sports writer who covers the Eagles for Heavy.com. He’s a long-time presence on both TV and sports radio in the Philadelphia market. More about Joe Staszak