SANTA CLARA, Calif. — San Francisco 49ers All-Pro fullback Kyle Juszczyk has been fined by the NFL for a celebration the league labeled “offensive” — even though he had performed a similar routine for years without drawing discipline.
The league issued Juszczyk a $14,926 fine after he mimed drinking from a beverage following a third-quarter reception in San Francisco’s victory over the Miami Dolphins on Sunday.
In a letter obtained by The Associated Press, the NFL said Juszczyk’s imitation of “chugging a beer” amounted to an offensive display that could reasonably be viewed as being in poor taste. The league added that players are expected to represent the sport positively and uphold NFL standards of sportsmanship.
Juszczyk, known as “Juice,” has used the celebration throughout his San Francisco career. The gesture is his response to 49ers supporters who regularly chant his nickname after a catch or another significant play.
“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, and it’s been that way for years. So I was surprised as anybody when I got a fine this week.”
ESPN first reported the fine.
Juszczyk said he initially assumed coach Kyle Shanahan was teasing him when he mentioned the penalty. The veteran plans to appeal next week and remains hopeful the fine will be overturned.
The NFL has made clear that it intends to take a harder line on player celebrations this season, and Juszczyk was not the only player punished this week. He said he was informed that roughly six other players were fined, including Cincinnati wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. Chase said the Bengals teammates were penalized for their new “people’s elbow” celebration.
Chase pushed back against social media interpretations of the gesture, which involves holding his right elbow with his left hand before swinging the arm forward. He said the celebration is not intended to carry the suggestive or inappropriate meaning some have attached to it, but is simply a new signal the receivers created to mark a first down.
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Juszczyk said he could not recall the specific warnings players received about the league’s crackdown during the preseason. Still, he never imagined the policy would target a celebration he had performed consistently for years.
ESPN was the first outlet to report the NFL fine.
The episode has provided plenty of entertainment inside the 49ers’ locker room. Tight end George Kittle joked that Juszczyk’s nickname should now be “Beer” rather than “Juice.”
Juszczyk also leaned into the controversy. Before meeting with reporters, he placed a white-paper-wrapped container on his locker shelf labeled “NOT BEER,” alongside an image of a juice box bearing his No. 44.
“That’s the other side of it, is 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.”
For the past six seasons, Juszczyk has represented the 49ers as their nominee for the Art Rooney Award, which honors sportsmanship. His previous NFL fines involved an illegal use of the helmet and low blocks. He was also fined $20,033 for illegal helmet use in Week 1 and plans to appeal that penalty next week.
Now in his 14th NFL season and 10th with San Francisco, Juszczyk has earned 10 Pro Bowl selections. He was named an All-Pro in 2023 and again in 2025.
AP Pro Football Writer Rob Maaddi and AP freelancer Jay Morrison contributed to this report.
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