Eagles' DT Jalen Carter Calls Out LeBron James After Flop vs. Dolphins

Philadelphia Eagles rookie Jalen Carter has impressed in his first season out of Georgia and leads the NFL's defensive tackles in rating (91.3) plus a number of other impressive metrics that highlight his enormous potential.

In addition to his production, Carter might have some potential as an actor. During the Eagles' 31-17 win over the Dolphins on Monday, Carter got into a brief shoving match with Dolphins offensive lineman Austin Jackson. Carter appeared to do most of the pushing, but when Jackson clapped Carter on the shoulder, Carter knew exactly what to do.

After the game, Carter was asked about the flop. He answered by taking a playful jab at a superstar in another sport.

"I was just thinking about LeBron [James]," Carter said, per Josh Tolentino of the Philadelphia Inquirer. "I was like 'Oh, what would LeBron do?'"

James has a reputation as a flopper which has followed him throughout the years. The 38-year-old star plays a highly aggressive brand of basketball at 6-foot-8 and 250 pounds of muscle, and when he drives to the basket, players tend to swipe at him. NBA players recognize the value of free throws, and for a star like James, a chance at highly efficient points is worth a little exaggeration.

Last season, the Lakers grew frustrated and began calling out officials publicly for what they perceived to be a lack of calls. James even joked at one point that he needed to learn how to flop.

"I love physicality," James told reporters last November. "But I also would like for the whistle to be blown when I get hit...I've got to learn how to flop or something. Seriously, I need to learn how to do that, swipe my head back or do something to get to the free-throw line, because the 'I missed it' is getting a little too repetitive."

Carter, it seems, still couldn't resist the joke.

For his part, Carter has impressed teammates early in the season.

"You see all the flashes of what it takes to be a premier rusher in this league," Eagles center Jason Kelce said on his podcast last month. "He's got the ability to threaten you with power, and the ability to threaten you with twitchiness and get to your edge. To me, that's the hardest thing...He's still young, I don't want to put too much on his shoulders. He's still a rookie. But I speak for everybody at Novacare Complex that people are really, really excited about what Jalen Carter has done so far."

Carter and the Eagles improved to 6-1 and remain atop the NFC East standings with their win, while the Dolphins picked up their second loss of the season, falling to 5-2. The Dolphins still lead the AFC East.