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