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Rams Accuse Eagles of Supplying Smelling Salts to $96M Star During Home Win

 

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. — Sep. 13, 2025 — The aftermath of Philadelphia’s win over the Los Angeles Rams took a dramatic turn as Rams officials claimed they have evidence that Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown— the team’s $96 million star — used smelling salts on the field moments before a play began.

A video circulating on social media appears to show Brown bending down, cracking open a small vial, and taking a sharp inhale before lining up wide. The Rams argue this goes beyond personal use and raises suspicions that the Eagles supplied the smelling salts, a direct violation of the NFL’s newly implemented 2025 ban.

The accusations surfaced amid scrutiny over Brown’s explosive performance: 12 receptions for 185 yards and two touchdowns, including a game-sealing 65-yard catch in the fourth quarter. The outburst marked a stark contrast to his recent form, as Brown had been held under 100 yards in each of the previous two games.

“The rule is clear — teams are not allowed to provide smelling salts to players. If this video is what it appears to be, there’s reason to believe Philadelphia crossed the line. He was completely different compared to the first two games of the season,” Rams owner Stan Kroenke said after the game. “We will be submitting our evidence to the league. Fair play has to be protected.”

The NFL has yet to issue a formal response. If the accusation holds, the Eagles could face significant fines and disciplinary action against team personnel, though the game result itself would not be overturned.

Brown declined to directly address the video, telling reporters only: “I’m focused on playing football and helping my team win.”

If confirmed, this would be the first high-profile case tied to the league’s new smelling salts policy, adding a layer of controversy to Philadelphia’s divisional victory.

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Eagles Dallas Goedert Speaks Out After Broncos Loss – “I Just Want Fairness”
  Philadelphia, PA — The Philadelphia Eagles’ 21–17 defeat to the Denver Broncos at Lincoln Financial Field left the home crowd simmering — not only because of the collapse from a 14-point lead, but because of a controversial no-call on the Eagles’ next-to-last snap, a deep throw to tight end Dallas Goedert.  On the defining late drive, Jalen Hurts targeted Goedert down the right side near the goal line. Replays widely shared online show contact from the Broncos defender before the ball arrived — the type of action many observers believe meets the threshold for defensive pass interference (DPI). The officiating crew, led by Adrian Hill, kept the flag in the pocket. One play later, a Hail Mary fell incomplete, sealing Denver’s 21–17 comeback and ending Philadelphia’s 10-game win streak.  After the game, Goedert, plainly frustrated, kept his composure but pushed a simple theme that echoed through the locker room and the stands: “I was fighting through contact before the ball even got there. That’s a flag in this league. I just want fairness — the same call at the same moment, no matter who we’re playing.” The no-call wasn’t the night’s only officiating flashpoint. Earlier in the fourth quarter, a flag for intentional grounding on Bo Nix was picked up after a conference, with Hill’s pool report later citing the presence of an eligible receiver in the area and a malfunction in the crew’s O2O communication system. Denver extended the drive and the momentum tilted for good.  Broadcast analysts piled on in real time. Tony Romo highlighted two end-game sequences he felt were mishandled, amplifying the scrutiny on consistency and late-game standards. On social media, slow-motion clips of the Goedert play exploded alongside calls for the league to review the crew’s performance.  Statistically, the story tracks with the eye test: Bo Nix engineered three straight fourth-quarter scoring drives (242 yards, 1 TD, plus a two-point conversion) while J.K. Dobbins added 79 on the ground; the Eagles’ Hurts threw for 280 yards and 2 TDs but absorbed six sacks, and Philadelphia’s final march stalled at the Denver 29. It was a comprehensive swing in the last 15 minutes — 18 unanswered points — and the controversy simply sharpened the sting. Reuters Postgame, Hill’s explanations did little to cool the temperature. The crew maintained that the Goedert snap featured mutual hand fighting below the DPI threshold — a judgment call that cannot be corrected by replay under current rules. That nuance only inflamed debate over whether the NFL should expand reviewability for DPI/illegal contact/holding in the final minutes of one-score games.  As the Eagles filed off their home field, the message many fans felt Goedert had distilled for them — and for anyone watching — was the same line he offered near the cameras: “I just want fairness.”