Oct 9, 2026 12:00 PM
Kyle Juszczyk gets his money back as the 49ers' fullback won his appeal of the NFL's fine, arguing his end zone celebration was about juice, not beer.
There's a reason Kyle Juszczyk's teammates, coaches, and 49ers fan base call him "Juice," but apparently, the NFL did not get the memo.
The San Francisco 49ers' fullback has reportedly had his Week 2 $14,926 fine overturned, which was sent to Juszczyk for a touchdown celebration the league took to be a player pretending to pound a beer.
Juszczyk argued that it was simply a man drinking juice, which is the whole point of his nickname.
Where the Fine Came From
San Francisco was rolling to a 35-13 win over Miami when Juszczyk caught a six-yard touchdown in the third quarter.
After celebrating with teammates, he faced the crowd and tipped back an imaginary drink. He did it again later in the game. A few days later, the league fined him.
Anyone who has followed the 49ers knows the bit. "Juice" is written on his pads. The crowd at Levi's Stadium bellows it every time he touches the ball. The drinking gesture has been part of his act for years, and it was never a secret.
Juszczyk sounded more puzzled than angry when he addressed the fine with reporters. "I wasn't drinking beer in my celebration," he said, and he walked through the nickname and the history behind it.
Calling Out the NFL
His appeal also included a sharper argument as he reportedly told the league it was hypocritical to fine a player for miming a beer when Bud Light ads fill every broadcast.
The NFL's partnership with Anheuser-Busch InBev is reportedly worth around $250 million. Fans watching his touchdown on TV could have seen a beer commercial within the next two minutes.
He wasn't the only player to win this fight. Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson was fined $13,611 for a Week 2 celebration against Washington that the league said looked like shotgunning a beer.
His fine was also reportedly overturned. Two reversals in the same week suggest the league office went too far, and the people reviewing the appeals agreed.
The timing of the win is bittersweet for Juszczyk, who hyperextended his knee Sunday and is expected to miss a few weeks, so the end zone celebrations are on hold.
Juszczyk Likely to Miss Time
His absence also matters more than a fullback's usually would. Kyle Shanahan uses Juszczyk all over the formation, as a lead blocker, a check-down option, and a mismatch in the flat.
Few teams can replace that with one player, and the 49ers will likely have to piece it together with a mix of tight ends and running backs until he's healthy.
Still, Juszczyk walks away from this with his money and his celebration intact. The next time he scores, he can mime finishing a drink without worrying about the league office.
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