Ammonia and smelling salts have long been used as a stimulant by NFL players as well as other athletes, though the risks that come with their use have been noted. Many boxing competitions, for instance, have banned smelling salts under the pretense that their use can mask serious injury.

According to Garafolo, San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle said he used smelling salts and ammonia packets on every drive and joked that he's thought about retirement in light of the news. “I considered retirement," Kittle said. "We have to figure out a middle ground.”