George Kittle Claims The NFL Banned Smelling Salts And It Almost Made Him Retire

San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle made a disturbing claim about the NFL on Tuesday during the team's training camp after interrupting an NFL Network broadcast.

That claim? The league has banned smelling salts and ammonia packets… per Kittle, no one else has heard that.

Kittle barged into an NFL Network live shot during Niners camp to make an announcement.

"I just came up here to air a grievance," Kittle said. "Our team received a memo today that smelling salts and ammonia packets were made illegal in the NFL, and I've been distraught all day."

Kittle joked that he considered retirement after receiving the news, but you can understand why he would be bummed. He has been known to take a hit of smelling salts on the sidelines.

But oddly enough, Kittle was the first person to mention a ban like this. It doesn't seem to have been reported elsewhere, and the league hasn't said anything about it.

So, the future of smelling salts and ammonia packets to give players the ol' wakey-wakey on the sidelines remains unclear, but let's hope the league comes to its senses —mainly its sense of smell — and keeps smelling salts on the field.

Is there any more electric moment that occurs on the sidelines than a dude snapping one of those smelling salt packets and sniffing it while it turns red, just to get fired up for the next series? 

You see it in hockey, too, and to me that's one of the universal signs that a player means business.

There's a lot you can take out of the game, but please, don't take dudes rippin' a sniff before a big play.

Heck, I've never used smelling salts in my entire life, but I might order some just to take some hits in solidarity with George Kittle and others affected by this ban that he claims is happening.

#SaveTheSalts