San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk is planning to appeal a $14,926 fine from the NFL after the league determined he violated its celebration rules during Sunday’s game against the Miami Dolphins.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the league penalized Juszczyk for “engaging in an offensive demonstration” by appearing to mimic “chugging a beer.” Juszczyk says that’s not what happened at all.
“I don’t know how else to say it, I wasn’t drinking beer in my celebration,” Juszczyk said Thursday. “I think you guys all know my nickname is ‘Juice.’ I have ‘Juice’ on my pads, the stadium yells ‘Juice’ when I catch the ball; when I celebrate, I celebrate by drinking juice. It’s been that way for years. So, I was surprised as anybody when I got fined this past week.”
Juszczyk said 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan first told him about the fine at practice this week, and his initial reaction was disbelief.
“I thought maybe he was just messing with me,” Juszczyk said. He soon learned it was real when the league’s official notice arrived in his inbox.
Teammates and peers rally around Juszczyk
The fine drew quick pushback, starting with Juszczyk and his wife, who posted on social media to show the drinking gesture has been part of his celebration routine for years.
Teammate George Kittle then defended him publicly on X, writing: “Can confirm he doesn’t really drink beer but is a good guy.”
The dispute also drew reaction from outside the 49ers organization. Cincinnati Bengals receiver Ja’Marr Chase, who was fined for a demonstrative elbow gesture in a game against the Houston Texans, criticized the league’s approach to celebration penalties.
“I think this is where the superstars have to get in with the NFLPA and fight for our money,” Chase said. “If he’s getting fined for doing a drinking juice gesture, then I’m getting fined for an elbow and doing the first down thing, I mean, I can’t really do much about it.”
Future Hall of Famer J.J. Watt also weighed in, posting: “For a guy whose nickname is Juice, could it not be ‘reasonably construed’ that he is drinking… stay with me here… Juice?”
An appeal, and a prop, on the way
Juszczyk was also fined $20,033 earlier this season for an illegal helmet block in Week 1. He said he plans to appeal both fines at a hearing next week.
“I don’t even drink beer,” Juszczyk said. “I maybe drink like five times a year in the offseason. And it’s usually with George because he pressures me. So that’s a whole ‘nother side to me.”
Ahead of his Thursday meeting with reporters, Juszczyk brought a prop to make his point: a water bottle wrapped in tape with “Not Beer” written across it.
Kittle, for his part, said he’s ready to give his teammate a new nickname over the whole affair. “I think we’re going to sign a petition to Juice’s new nickname is Beer now,” Kittle said. “So, that’s his new thing.”
