NFL player fined $15k for using 'offensive' drinking celebration
Kyle Juszczyk #44 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates after his receiving touchdown against the Miami Dolphins in the third quarter of a game at Levi's Stadium on September 20, 2026 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
A football player for the National Football League was fined thousands of dollars after the league said a touchdown celebration took imagery of a drinking an alcoholic beverage.
The backstory:
The San Francisco 49ers took on the Miami Dolphins Sunday at Levi Stadium in Santa Clara, California. The 49ers easily cruised to a 22-point victory in the week 2 win. Quarterback Brock Purdy scored three total touchdowns, passing for two.
What we know:
Fullback Kyle Juszczyk hauled in a six-yard score in the third quarter and did his signature touchdown celly of gesturing a motion of drinking a beverage. However, in the days following, NFL officials fined the back $14,926, saying he violated Rule 12, Section 3, Article 1.
What they're saying:
The league sent him a letter saying, "Your imitation of chugging a beer constituted an offensive demonstration and could reasonably be construed as being in poor taste," they said in a letter. "Players are expected to conduct themselves in a manner that reflects positively on the game and is consistent with NFL standards of sportsmanship."
The other side:
Juszczyk, a Harvard University graduate, typically goes by the nickname "Juice," a phonetic play on his last name. Even his social media handle, "JuiceCheck," is another nod to the nickname. Juszczyk said the reference was simply an homage to "Juice," adding, "I don’t even drink beer."
Dig deeper:
Obviously, it wasn’t the only beer reference in the game’s broadcast, as alcoholic content is heavily featured in game ads and sold in every stadium around the country. Even after his touchdown, the broadcast cut to a commercial for Michelob Ultra beer.
Big picture view:
In another level of irony, the NFL does have an official beer, Anheuser-Busch, and their major brand, Bud Light, serves the official beer of the NFL under an agreement through next year. Part of that deal, the beer has agreements with over two dozen players, featuring them in ads across national content and campaigns.
What's next:
A source familiar with the story says Juszcyzk is appealing the fine.
The Source: This story was written with information provided by Fox News Digital. And Kyle Juszcyzk’s X account. This story was reported from Orlando.