George Kittle calls out NFL over smelling salts ban: 'I considered retirement'

The NFL is constantly tweaking or changing its rules and it appears the league has another new ban set to be implemented. That is, according to San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle.

According to Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network, Kittle crashed a TV set to inform Garafolo and his panel that the league had just banned smelling salts and ammonia packets today. Kittle told the crew he uses them every drive.

“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.

“I considered retirement. I considered it. We’ve got to figure out middle ground here, guys. Somebody help me out, somebody come up with a good idea.”

George Kittle crashed the NFL Network set to drop the news that the league banned smelling salts and ammonia packets today — and he admits he uses them every single drive. pic.twitter.com/1orx0wzhOa

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) August 5, 2025

The use of smelling salts has proliferated in the NFL over the years, but it hasn’t happened without pushback. ESPN published a lengthy piece on the practice in the NFL back in 2017 and there were some interesting tidbits.

First, it’s not entirely clear that the smelling salts or ammonia packets really provide much tangible benefit. A fellow for the American College of Sports Medicine, Dr. Joseph Estwanik, commented on their use in the ESPN piece.

“The claim is that smelling salts arouse your consciousness and focus, but how many of us in our daily lives think it’s appropriate during a tough day at work to open a bottle of ammonia and start sniffing the fumes?” Estwanik said. “Ammonia’s intended use is for cleaning. Giving a highly trained elite athlete ammonia to help them perform at their peak is like throwing a drowning man a cup of coffee.”

Still, some players swear by the smelling salts. Like Kittle said, he uses them every drive.

The league, though, questioned the safety of using smelling salts and ammonia inhalants (AIs), providing a memo to teams around the league about its new stance citing FDA concerns. Garafolo shared a copy of that documentation.

“In light of this information, effective for the 2025 NFL season, clubs are prohibited from providing or supplying ammonia in any form at NFL games,” the league memo read. “For clarity, ‘ammonia’ refers to ammonia capsules, inhalers, ammonia in a cup, and any form of ‘smelling salts.’

“This prohibition applies to all club personnel (including but not limited to team physicians, athletic trainers, strength and conditioning coaches and coaches or other personnel). The prohibition applies through the entirety of all NFL games, including during all pregame activities, and halftime, and applies on the sideline and in stadium locker rooms.”