NFL players can breathe easily again. Despite the chaos of the league memo sent to the club on Tuesday, players can still smell salt during the season's game as long as they bring their own hiding place.
ESPN received a message sent to players by the NFL Players Association Wednesday night indicating that the union sought clarification on the league's ammonia ban and was confirmed to apply only to clubs that provide ammonia to players.
“We did not inform our club policy changes before the memorandum was issued.” “To clarify, the policy does not prohibit players from using these substances, but rather restricts the club from providing or providing them in any form. The NFL has confirmed this to us.”
Editing selection
On Tuesday, the NFL sent a memo to all 32 clubs that said “clubs are prohibited from providing or supplying ammonia in any form on NFL Games” in the 2025 season.
The memorandum notes that the NFL's Head, Neck and Spine Committee proposed a ban as the FDA issued warnings about the negative effects of ammonia inhalers in 2024, including “the potential to mask certain neurological symptoms and symptoms, including some potential signs of concussion.”
“This ban applies to all club personnel (including but not limited to team doctors, athletic coaches, strength and conditioning coaches, coaches or others),” the memo continued. “The ban applies to all NFL games, including at all pre-match events and halftime breaks, to sidelines and stadium locker rooms.”
The San Francisco 49ers clutched George Kittle and Tampa Bay Buccaneers guard Lavonte David publicly mourned the salt smelling as they interpreted the memo as a ban on using them in the game means a total ban.
David told NFL host Kay Adams: “I don't know what to do.”
“I was upset all day,” Kittle told the NFL Network.
On Wednesday, the Players Union sought clarification from the league office to see if the memo's ban extended to players who provide the game with flavor.