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Rams Accuse Eagless Of Supplying Smelling Salts To $41M Star During Home Win

Sep 22, 2025 


 What looked like an ordinary matchup between the Los Angeles Rams and the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday night quickly turned into a source of controversy after the Rams accused the Eagles of supplying smelling salts to their $41 million star, Saquon Barkley, directly on the field just minutes before kickoff at Lincoln Financial Field.

A video circulating on social media appeared to show Barkley crouching down near the sideline, cracking open a small vial, and taking a deep inhale before lining up in the backfield. According to the Rams, the act went beyond simple personal use and raised suspicion that the Eagles themselves had provided the smelling salts — a direct violation of the new NFL ban implemented for the 2025 season.

“This isn’t about rituals or pregame habits. It’s about rules and fairness,” a Rams spokesperson said Monday. “If the home team really supplied smelling salts to a player just before the opening whistle, that’s an unfair competitive edge, and we expect the league to act.”



The Eagles have yet to issue an official comment. Barkley, who signed a four-year, $41 million deal with Philadelphia in March, brushed off the controversy following  the 33–26 win.

“I don’t get caught up in all that talk,” Barkley said postgame. “I just focus on playing ball and doing whatever it takes to help this team win.”

The NFL confirmed it has opened an investigation. While smelling salts are not banned for players’ individual use, teams are prohibited from providing them to players at any time during games.

Any potential punishment would likely come in the form of fines or warnings, not a change to the game’s result. Still, the incident has shined a spotlight on a long-standing sideline ritual that, until now, rarely stirred controversy.

NFL Suspends Entire Officiating Crew Led by Adrian Hill After Controversial Finish in Eagles–Broncos Game
October 7, 2025 – Philadelphia, PA The NFL has officially suspended referee Adrian Hill and his entire officiating crew following the highly controversial ending to Sunday’s Eagles–Broncos matchup — a game that has since ignited national outrage and sparked widespread debate over officiating integrity. According to league sources and officiating assignment data from Football Zebras, the suspended crew consisted of: Referee: Adrian Hill (#81) Umpire: Bryan Neale (#92) Down Judge: Patrick Holt (#23) Line Judge: Mark Steinkerchner (#64) Field Judge: Brad Rogers (#128) Side Judge: Eugene Hall (#99) Back Judge: Greg Steed (#12) Replay Official: Dan South The decision follows mounting scrutiny over multiple missed and overturned calls that directly influenced the outcome of the game. The most heated moment came late in the fourth quarter, when an intentional grounding flag against Jalen Hurts was overturned after review, allowing the Broncos to maintain momentum and run down the clock. Moments later, in what fans called “the robbery of the season,” Dallas Goedert was clearly pulled down by cornerback Quinton Skinner at the goal line — but no flag was thrown for pass interference.👉VIDEO:Refs made sure to switch a grounding call twice on the broncos last drive & throw an unnecessary roughness flag on a would be stop on 3rd down but yea let’s ignore the blatant PI which would but the ball on the 6 yard line with time for 2-3 plays   The Eagles were denied a final opportunity to score, and Denver escaped with a 27–24 victory. The broadcast replay showed Goedert’s jersey being visibly grabbed, fueling fury among players, coaches, and fans alike. Social media erupted within minutes. The phrase “Eagles got robbed” trended at #1 on X (formerly Twitter), with over 2 million posts in 24 hours. Several analysts, including former Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman, called for an official review of the officiating crew’s conduct. One viral post summarized the fan sentiment:“If this isn’t rigging, what is? The refs changed the outcome of the game — plain and simple.” NFL Senior VP of Officiating Walt Anderson confirmed in a brief statement that the league found “a series of critical officiating errors that failed to meet professional standards." 👉Adam Schetfer Post:  NFL Suspends Entire Officiating Crew Led by Adrian Hill After Controversial Finish in Eagles–Broncos Game The suspension is immediate and indefinite pending further investigation — marking one of the rare occasions in modern NFL history where an entire officiating crew has been disciplined following a single game. For Eagles fans, the suspension offers little comfort. The damage, as many see it, has already been done — a win stolen, a legacy questioned, and the integrity of the league once again under fire.