San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk has been fined $14,926 by the NFL for a celebration

Kyle Juszczyk appeals $14,926 fine after NFL calls his celebration ‘in poor taste’

San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk has been fined $14,926 by the NFL for a celebration that the league interpreted as an imitation of chugging a beer. The fine came after the 49ers’ 35-13 win over the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, September 20.

Juszczyk was penalized under the NFL’s “offensive demonstrations” rule after making the gesture during the game. Juszczyk’s celebration involved an “imitation of chugging a beer.”, according to the NFL’s fine letter.

The 35-year-old appeared to tilt his head back while using his right hand to mimic drinking from a bottle or can. The fine is also not Juszczyk’s first of the 2026 season. He was previously fined $20,033 following the 49ers’ Week 1 game against the Los Angeles Rams for unnecessary roughness involving his use of the helmet.

There is one major problem with the NFL’s interpretation from Juszczyk’s perspective: the longtime 49ers fullback says the celebration was never meant to represent beer. Juszczyk, whose nickname is “Juice,” has used the drinking-style gesture as a celebration throughout his career as an ode to his nickname. He has also explained that he does not drink beer and said he does not consume alcohol during the NFL season.

The NFL determined that the gesture could be considered an offensive demonstration and “could reasonably be construed as being in poor taste. The incident occurred with just under eight minutes remaining in the third quarter of San Francisco’s win over Miami. His teammates, including George Kittle, have similarly joked about Juszczyk’s lack of interest in beer, which builds credibility to his claims and puts a strong case for him if taken into consideration.

What had previously been a familiar celebration for Juszczyk has now become one of the more unusual NFL fine stories of the season, which even Juszczyk never saw coming.