College Football & NFL Trending News Writer
Oct 2, 2025 9:49 PM EDT
Philadelphia Eagles starting defensive tackle Jalen Carter got honest with reports on Thursday about his lingering shoulder injury that caused him to hang out on the sidelines for some time during the team’s Week 4 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Carter, who hurt his shoulder during the early part of training camp, admitted that it was a “little serious,” though the Eagles have been taking the necessary steps to make sure he can play through the injury.
“Sometimes I get a rush in or I’m playing the run and I feel it,” Carter said. “I drop my shoulder or something. I can’t let that be the blame. I’m still out there, I’m still playing. If it’s hurting me that bad I’ll just stop.”,
Carter also made it clear that while it can be painful, he plans to battle through it until his body can’t handle it.
“Everybody has injuries, depending on if it’s small or if it’s big, but when the right time comes, if I need to stop and take a little break to work more on my shoulder, that time is going to come,” Carter said. “But as of right now it feels good enough to play.”
Jalen Carter’s Year 3 Breakout Year is Still Pending
Carter, the Eagles’ ninth overall pick out of Georgia in 2023, made an immediate splash in his rookie season. He played in all 16 games, posting 33 tackles (20 solo), six sacks, two forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery. That strong debut earned him a spot on the PFWA All-Rookie Team, and he just barely missed out on AP Defensive Rookie of the Year, finishing as the runner-up.
In 2024, he leveled up even more. Carter started every game, ending the season with 42 tackles (25 solo), 4.5 sacks, six pass breakups, and forcing two more fumbles. That performance earned him his first Pro Bowl selection.
Carter is expected to take an even larger jump in Year 3, but that has yet to be seen since he has some catching up to do, especially after missing Week 1, and now knowing he isn’t 100 percent healthy.
That doesn’t mean he hasn’t made an impact on Philly’s defense so far. Through three games, Carter has recorded six total tackles (two solo) and five quarterback hits.
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