Kyle Juszczyk was fined $14,926 for a simple act: he pretended to drink a bottle of liquid after catching a pass. The NFL said that liquid was beer. Juszczyk says it was juice.
The San Francisco 49ers fullback has spent his career celebrating by chugging a bottle in response to fans chanting his nickname, “Juice.” On Sunday, in the third quarter of the 49ers’ win over the Miami Dolphins, he did it again. The league saw it differently. Its fine letter to Juszczyk said his imitation of drinking a beverage “constituted an offensive demonstration and could reasonably be construed as being in poor taste.”
“Your imitation of chugging a beer constituted an offensive demonstration and could reasonably be construed as being in poor taste,” the league wrote.
The Fine Letter
The NFL’s language is blunt. It told Juszczyk that players are expected to “conduct themselves in a manner that reflects positively on the game and is consistent with NFL standards of sportsmanship.” The league did not explain why it considered the celebration offensive, nor did it offer a definition of what it found objectionable about the motion itself.
Juszczyk was not the only one hit this week. He said he was told about six other players who received fines. Among them are Cincinnati Bengals receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, who were docked for their “people’s elbow” celebration. That involves grabbing the right elbow with the left hand and flopping the right arm forward, which Chase insists is not the off-color humor some on social media have made it out to be.
His Response
Juszczyk’s reaction was immediate and unambiguous. He told reporters Thursday that he was shocked by the fine.
“I don’t know how else to say it. I wasn’t drinking beer in my celebration,” Juszczyk said. “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, and it’s been that way for years. So I was surprised as anybody when I got a fine this week.”
He said he initially thought coach Kyle Shanahan was joking when told about the fine. He hopes it gets removed after his appeal next week.
The Nickname Origin
Juszczyk’s nickname comes from his first name. Fans chant it whenever he makes a play. He has worn it on his pads throughout his career in San Francisco. The celebration has been consistent for years, and he said he never thought it would draw attention from the league.
“I don’t even drink beer,” Juszczyk said. “I maybe drink like five times a year in the offseason. It’s usually with George because he peer pressures me.”
His teammates are amused by the situation. Tight end George Kittle now has a new nickname: “Beer.” Before talking to the media, Juszczyk put a container on his locker shelf wrapped in white paper and wrote “NOT BEER” on it. He also displayed a picture of a juice box with his uniform number 44.
The Sportsmanship Record
Juszczyk has been the 49ers’ nominee for the Art Rooney Award for sportsmanship for the past six seasons. That record makes the fine especially notable. The only other fines in his career have been for illegal use of the helmet and low blocks.
He was fined $20,033 for illegal use of helmet in Week 1 and will be appealing that as well next week. The league’s crackdown on celebrations this season has now touched him twice.
What Happens Next
Juszczyk’s appeal is scheduled for next week. The outcome is unknown. The NFL has vowed to enforce its standards more strictly this season, and Juszczyk’s case is now part of that narrative.
The fine stands until the appeal. Juszczyk will make his case. The NFL will respond. The result will determine whether the league’s standards of sportsmanship apply to a man who has spent his career celebrating the way he was named.
The NFL’s letter from the NFL to Juszczyk, obtained by The Associated Press, is a document worth reading in full. It describes a celebration that the league has watched for years without issue, and it explains why it suddenly found it offensive.
The NFL’s decision to fine Juszczyk for a celebration that has been identical for a decade raises a question the league has not answered: what changed? Juszczyk has not changed his motion. The crowd has not changed its chant. The bottle has not changed its contents.
The only thing that changed is the league’s interpretation of what it sees.
- Fine amount: $14,926
- Other players fined this week: Six, including Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins
- Juszczyk’s previous fine: $20,033 for illegal use of helmet in Week 1
- Juszczyk’s appeal: Scheduled for next week
Juszczyk’s career is defined by consistency. He has made the Pro Bowl 10 times and was an All-Pro in 2023 and ’25. He is in his 14th season in the NFL and 10th with San Francisco. His appeal will test whether the league’s standards of sportsmanship apply differently to a man who has spent his entire career celebrating the same way.
The NFL’s crackdown on celebrations is real. The question is whether it is applied with any consistency. Juszczyk’s case will provide the first test.
The NFL has said it wants players to reflect positively on the game. Juszczyk has reflected his nickname for a decade. He has never apologized for it, and he has never hidden it. He has always done the same thing, in the same way, at the same moment, for the same reason.
The league’s letter suggests otherwise. It found the celebration offensive. It found it in poor taste. It fined him for it.
Juszczyk disagrees. He says he was not drinking beer. He says he was drinking juice. He says the crowd knows his nickname is Juice. He says the stadium yells Juice when he catches the ball. He says the celebration has been that way for years.
The fine stands until the appeal. Juszczyk will make his case. The NFL will respond. The result will determine whether the league’s standards of sportsmanship apply to a man who has spent his career celebrating the way he was named.
Source material: “San Francisco 49er Kyle Juszczyk gets fined for chugging celebration that NFL says was beer and he says was juice,” ABC13 Houston.
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