San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk has been fined $14,926 by the NFL for what the league described as an “offensive demonstration” after he mimed drinking a beverage during the team’s game against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday. Juszczyk says the league got it wrong: he was drinking juice, not beer.
The 10-time Pro Bowler said he first learned of the fine when 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan approached him at practice this week.
“I thought maybe he was just messing with me,” Juszczyk said Thursday.
He soon realized it wasn’t a joke. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the NFL penalized Juszczyk for imitating “chugging a beer.” Juszczyk, 35, disputes that characterization.
“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. It’s been that way for years. So, I was surprised as anybody when I got fined this past week.”
The fine set off a wave of reaction, starting with Juszczyk and his wife, who posted on social media to show the drinking gesture has long been part of his celebration routine. Teammate George Kittle also defended him publicly on X.
“Can confirm he doesn’t really drink beer but is a good guy,” Kittle wrote.
The controversy spread beyond the 49ers locker room. Cincinnati Bengals receiver Ja’Marr Chase, who was fined separately for an elbow gesture during a game against the Texans, criticized the league and the NFL Players Association over how such penalties are handled.
“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 Fame defensive end J.J. Watt also weighed in, questioning the league’s reasoning on social media: “For a guy whose nickname is Juice, could it not be ‘reasonably construed’ that he is drinking… stay with me here… Juice?”
Juszczyk was also fined $20,033 earlier this season, in Week 1, for an illegal helmet block. 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.”
In the meantime, Juszczyk has been leaning into the absurdity of the situation. Before his Thursday meeting with reporters, he wrapped a water bottle in tape and wrote “Not Beer” on it. Kittle, for his part, joked that he’d like to rebrand his teammate entirely.
“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.”
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