Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports

Safety Concerns Force NFL To Ban Smelling Salts in 2025 – George Kittle Makes His Disapproval Known

Smelling salts deemed unsafe, league issues memo for their ban

Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports

Plenty of changes are taking place around the NFL ahead of the upcoming 2025 season. While the NFL broke out a major story about ESPN acquiring NFL Network and other assets for a 10% stake, the ban on smelling salts is one more pertinent to an on-field change directly affecting the players themselves.

As per reports, the league has decided to ban ammonia inhalants (AI) and smelling salts as the products are deemed to be unsafe for use and could also lead to masking of concussions.

The NFL is banning the use of "smelling salts" during games, saying the products aren't proven to be safe and also could mask signs of a concussion, according to a memo the league sent to teams on Tuesday.

The ban comes as a result of FDA warnings that were issued in 2024. pic.twitter.com/PHNDp4mqS6
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) August 6, 2025

What are Smelling Salts?

Smelling salts are basically ammonia inhalants that can be used to increase breathing and blood flow to the brain. Athletes have been using them as a means of being more focused and alert during games.

In the world of medicine, doctors made use of AIs to revive patients who had fallen unconscious or had fainted. As for athletes, the lack of evidence supporting their safety is the main reason behind the ban.

Why Did the League Ban Smelling Salts

NFL Network Insider Mike Garafolo was able to get a look at the memo the league sent to all 32 teams, mentioning the reason behind the ban.

As per the memo, the league has taken this drastic step due to an alert from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2024, citing concerns over the use of AIs and smelling salts. The memo received by the league’s franchises is as below:

“In 2024, the FDA issued a warning to companies that produce commercially available ammonia inhalants (AIs), as well as to consumers about the purchase and use of AIs, regarding the lack of evidence supporting the safety or efficacy of AIs marketed for improving mental alertness or boosting energy. The FDA noted potential negative effects from AI use. AIs also have the potential to mask certain neurologic signs and symptoms, including some potential signs of concussion. As a result, the NFL Head, Neck, and Spine Committee recommended prohibiting the use of AIs for any purpose during play in the NFL.

From the memo from the NFL to teams today on what @gkittle46 mentioned on our air regarding the banning of ammonia inhalants. pic.twitter.com/j63pLSdk5R
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) August 5, 2025

George Kittle’s Reaction to Smelling Salts Ban

San Francisco 49ers’ tight end George Kittle had a humorous take on the ban of smelling salts as he intervened during an NFL Network interview session at the 49ers’ training camp.

While the team was speaking with linebacker Fred Warner, Kittle jumped in to break the news and describe how ‘distraught’ he felt after hearing that smelling salts were now banned by the league.

Going one step further, Kittle even threatened to stop practicing and was contemplating retirement upon hearing the news. Of course, all this was just a joke as the league’s highest-paid tight end showed off his fun side.

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

While some players may have wished this ban didn’t come into existence, the NFL represents a tough sporting league where players take plenty of hits to the body and suffer severe injuries. When it comes to player safety, the league will always err on the side of caution, and that is exactly what they are doing in this particular instance.

Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports

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Devavrat Kulkarni

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I am a content writer for the NFL team, and joined The Playoffs after working with Sportskeeda and NFL Analysis as an NFL writer. After starting my professional career as a French-to-English translator, working as a content writer is a new adventure for me. I started out in the sports media field for two main reasons: my love for sports in general, especially the NFL, NBA, and Tennis, as well as my passion for writing. The best part of this job is that I get to write a variety of pieces with the freedom to explore content from various angles. It also enables me to stay up to date with the sporting world, which otherwise can be difficult to do in the day-to-day grind. In a world full of chaos, sports unite and entertain like nothing else!