A league memo this week has outlawed one of the NFL’s long-standing sideline rituals: the use of smelling salts. The new rule, prompted by medical guidance and federal warnings, bans all forms of ammonia inhalants during games—including on sidelines, in locker rooms, and during halftime warm-ups.
The move caught many players off guard, none more visibly than San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle. During a Tuesday appearance on the NFL Network, Kittle abruptly derailed a segment with teammate Fred Warner to voice his frustration.
“I honestly just came up here to air a grievance,” Kittle said. “Our team got a memo today that smelling salts and ammonia packets were made illegal in the NFL, and I’ve been distraught all day.”
The policy shift stems from a recommendation by the league’s Head, Neck and Spine Committee, citing 2024 FDA advisories that questioned the safety and efficacy of ammonia for boosting alertness or energy. More critically, medical experts warned that such inhalants could mask symptoms of concussions—an area of growing scrutiny in the league.
According to ESPN, the NFL informed teams that the decision was made “in the interest of player health and safety,” noting the potential for ammonia to “obscure neurological symptoms” and complicate concussion assessments.
Kittle, entering his ninth season, has long used smelling salts as part of his game-day routine—often as a jolt of intensity before taking the field for offensive drives. He didn’t hide his dismay. “I miss those already,” he said, half-joking that the news had him considering retirement. “We have got to figure out a middle ground here, guys. Somebody help me out. Somebody come up with a good idea.”
The NFL’s ban represents a noticeable change for players who relied on smelling salts as part of their pregame routine. With training camps already underway and the 2025 season on the horizon, teams will now have to adjust—whether by finding other ways to get energized or simply doing without.
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