The National Football League recently issued a fine to San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk for a touchdown celebration it interpreted as mimicking the act of drinking beer. Juszczyk, however, has offered a detailed explanation, asserting his gesture is an homage to his well-known nickname, 'Juice.'
Addressing reporters gathered at his locker, Juszczyk expressed his bewilderment regarding the league's interpretation. "Man, I feel like there's already been so much put out there," he stated. "I don't know how else to say it. I wasn't drinking beer in my celebration."
Juszczyk Explains "Juice" Celebration
Juszczyk elaborated on the true meaning behind his celebration, which involves raising his hand to his mouth as if taking a drink. "I think you guys all know my nickname is 'Juice,'" he explained. "I have juice [inscribed] on my pads, and 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."
The league, in an email sent to Juszczyk, described the action as "an offensive demonstration" that could "reasonably be construed as being in poor taste," leading to a fine of $14,926. Despite Juszczyk's long-standing tradition, the NFL concluded he was imitating drinking an alcoholic beverage.
The fullback further emphasized his personal habits to counter the league's assumption. "That's the other side of it, is I don't even drink beer," Juszczyk revealed. "I may be drinking like five times a year and always in the offseason, and it's usually with [teammate] George [Kittle] because he peer pressures me."
Teammates React to Fine
Tight end George Kittle, known for his camaraderie with Juszczyk, found the entire situation amusing. Kittle, who has called Juszczyk 'Juice' for years, jokingly suggested a change. "I think we're going to sign a petition," Kittle quipped. "Juice's new nickname is Beer now."
Quarterback Brock Purdy also voiced his confusion over the fine, noting that Juszczyk has performed this particular celebration for many years without any previous penalties. "Yeah, I've seen Juice do his celebration for like five years," Purdy remarked. "So I'm a little confused about that punishment he's dealing with."
Purdy mentioned that head coach Kyle Shanahan typically advises players against violent acts in celebrations or tampering with the goal post, referencing instances like Stefon Diggs. However, Purdy confirmed that Juszczyk's 'drinking' celebration has never been singled out in team warnings. "Juice, that's his name, he drinks a juice box after scoring a touchdown," Purdy reiterated. "We're all confused and it [stinks] to be honest for him."
Juszczyk also shared that he was not directly informed of the fine by the league. Instead, Coach Shanahan was the first to learn and relayed the news to him early Thursday morning. "When Kyle told me that during breakfast, I thought maybe he was just messing with me," Juszczyk recalled. "But it's real."
Appeal Scheduled
While the NFL maintains rules regarding inappropriate celebrations, the conclusion that Juszczyk's intent was to mimic alcohol consumption, specifically beer, appears to be a significant assumption.
Juszczyk has confirmed his intention to appeal the fine. The appeal hearing is scheduled to take place via Zoom on Tuesday.
