San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk has successfully appealed the fine he received from the NFL over a celebration that the league initially considered “offensive.” The celebration involved Juszczyk mimicking the act of drinking, which officials believed resembled someone chugging a beer.
Why was Kyle Juszczyk fined?
Juszczyk was originally handed a $29,852 fine for two violations of the NFL’s sportsmanship rules after celebrating two catches during the third quarter of San Francisco’s Week 2 victory over the Miami Dolphins.
The 49ers fullback performed the same celebration he has used for years while fans at Levi’s Stadium chanted “Juice!” in reference to his nickname.
The punishment marked the second consecutive week in which Juszczyk had been fined by the NFL’s Gameday Accountability Team, prompting an immediate reaction from fans and fellow players.
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The NFL determined that Juszczyk’s celebration crossed the line under its sportsmanship rules because it appeared to depict drinking alcohol.
Why did NFL rescind Juszczyk’s fine?
After receiving the fine, Juszczyk appealed the NFL’s decision. An appeals officer ultimately ruled in his favor, with the league confirming Wednesday that the $14,926 portion of the punishment tied to the celebration had been rescinded.
ESPN was first to report that the fine had been overturned on appeal.
“The NFL has rescinded the $14,926 fine it imposed on 49ers FB Kyle ‘Juice’ Juszczyk for what it thought was a distasteful celebration of chugging a beer,” NFL insider Adam Schefter wrote on X, Wednesday morning.
The league explained that it was withdrawing the fine because the celebration was intended to simulate drinking from a juice box rather than a beer.
The 35-year-old fullback had maintained that interpretation of the celebration, making the appeal successful.
Juszczyk raises sponsorship question
Juszczyk also described the punishment as hypocritical given the NFL’s relationship with alcohol brands, pointing to the prominent presence of Bud Light sponsorships surrounding the league.
For now, the appeal has cleared Juszczyk of the controversial celebration fine, although the veteran fullback remains sidelined after suffering a bone bruise in his leg during San Francisco’s Week 4 victory over the Denver Broncos.
The win moved the 49ers to 4-0, but Juszczyk is currently out of the lineup while recovering from the injury.
Juszczyk’s recent NFL fines
The Week 2 penalty was not Juszczyk’s first fine of the 2026 season. He was previously fined $20,033 for illegally using his helmet during San Francisco’s Week 1 victory over the Los Angeles Rams in Melbourne, Australia.
The latest punishment, which ultimately rescinded, was Juszczyk’s sixth NFL fine over the past three seasons. Two of those fines, each worth roughly $10,000, came after the 49ers’ upset victory over the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Wild Card Round in January for illegal use of the helmet.
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One incident from that game drew particular attention when Juszczyk appeared to use his helmet like a battering ram, bowling over Eagles safety Reed Blankenship during the second half.