sfgate
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk has won his appeal against fines levied by the NFL for a celebration that the league considered offensive, in which he pretended to drink a beverage that the NFL said resembled chugging a beer.
The NFL initially fined Juszczyk $29,852 for two violations of its sportsmanship rules after he celebrated two catches in the third quarter of a Week 2 victory over the Miami Dolphins. The celebration, which he has performed for years, coincided with fans at Levi's Stadium chanting "Juice!" in reference to his nickname.
Juszczyk appealed the fine, and an appeals officer ruled in his favor, the league announced Wednesday. ESPN was the first to report that the fine had been rescinded on appeal.
The NFL has pledged to crack down on celebrations this season and initially determined that the imitation of chugging a beer was an offensive demonstration that could reasonably be construed as being in poor taste. Juszczyk 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.
In his appeal, Juszczyk argued that he was imitating drinking juice. "I don't know how else to say it. I wasn't drinking beer in my celebration," Juszczyk said on Sept. 24. "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."
Juszczyk has been the 49ers' nominee for the Art Rooney Award for sportsmanship for the past six seasons. The only fines he previously has had were for illegal use of the helmet and low blocks.
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 2025.
Key Analysis
The successful appeal highlights the ongoing tension between the NFL's efforts to enforce sportsmanship rules and the need to consider context and player intent. Juszczyk's long-standing celebration, tied to his nickname and fan interaction, was ultimately deemed not to warrant punishment, reinforcing the importance of fair and consistent application of league policies.
_ See AP's full NFL coverage here.
Originally reported by sfgate.