09/24/26 07:45:00
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09/24 19:43 CDT Kyle Juszczyk gets fined for chugging celebration that NFL says
was beer and he says was juice
Kyle Juszczyk gets fined for chugging celebration that NFL says was beer and he
says was juice
By JOSH DUBOW
AP Pro Football Writer
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) --- The NFL fined San Francisco 49ers All-Pro fullback
Kyle Juszczyk for what it deemed an "offensive" celebration similar to one he
had been doing for several years with no issues.
Juszczyk was fined $14,926 after he imitated drinking a beverage following a
catch in the third quarter of San Francisco's win over the Miami Dolphins on
Sunday.
"Your imitation of chugging a beer constituted an offensive demonstration and
could reasonably be construed as being in poor taste," the league wrote in the
fine letter to Juszczyk, which was obtained by The Associated Press. "Players
are expected to conduct themselves in a manner that reflects positively on the
game and is consistent with NFL standards of sportsmanship."
Juszczyk, whose nickname is "Juice," has been doing a version of that
celebration throughout his career in San Francisco in response to 49ers fans
chanting his nickname after catches or other big plays.
"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."
The fine was first reported by ESPN.
Juszczyk said he initially thought coach Kyle Shanahan was joking when he told
him about the fine and hopes it gets removed after his appeal next week.
The NFL has vowed to crack down on celebrations this season and Juszczyk wasn't
the only player to get fined this week. Juszczyk said he was told about six
other players got fined. That includes Cincinnati receivers Ja'Marr Chase and
Tee Higgins with Chase saying the two were docked for their new "people's
elbow" celebration.
Chase insisted the "people's elbow" celebration, which involves grabbing his
right elbow with his left hand and flopping the right arm forward, isn't the
sort of off-color humor others have made it out to be on social media, and they
are simply creating a new way to signal a first down.
Juszczyk said he doesn't remember what the players were told about the
crackdown during preseason but he never would have thought it would have
applied to his longtime celebration.
Juszczyk's teammates are amused by the situation, with tight end George Kittle
saying that his new nickname will be "Beer" instead of "Juice."
Juszczyk himself had fun with it. Before talking to the media, he put a
container on his locker shelf wrapped in white paper and "NOT BEER" written on
it. He also had a picture of a juice box with his uniform number 44 displayed.
"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."
Juszczyk has been the 49ers' nominee for the Art Rooney Award for sportsmanship
for the past six seasons. The only fines he has had previously are for illegal
use of the helmet and low blocks. Juszczyk was fined $20,033 for illegal use of
helmet in Week 1 and will be appealing that as well next week.
Juszczyk is in his 14th season in the NFL and 10th with San Francisco. He has
made the Pro Bowl 10 times and was an All-Pro in 2023 and '25.
___
AP Pro Football Writer Rob Maaddi and AP freelancer Jay Morrison contributed to
this report.
___
See AP's full NFL coverage here
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