“Kyle Yooz…ahem..JUICE!” Not many Ivy League graduates wind up playing football professionally. But through twists and turns, and a very short departure from the San Francisco 49ers, Kyle Juszczyk is back to doing exactly what he has for ten years with the team’s offense, including his signature juice-chugging celebration after his nickname. For the first time, however, that same juice has somehow transformed into beer. And the celebration into beer chugging. And came knocking on Juszczyk’s door a letter from the NFL with a penalty.

The league informed him yesterday that he is fined $14,926 over the celebration he performed after his Week 2 touchdown in a 35-13 win over Miami. The league classified the gesture as an “offensive demonstration.” Interestingly, there’s a catch to why the fullback has already appealed this punishment. But before that, his quarterback is already questioning the disciplinary action.

“Juice, that’s his name. He drinks a juice box after he makes big plays. We’re all confused, and it sucks, to be honest, for him,” Purdy said to reporters.

After hauling in a six-yard touchdown pass from Purdy in the third quarter, Juszczyk embraced teammates Mike Evans and Deebo Samuel, then raised his right hand to his mouth, tilted his head back, and mimed taking a drink, his signature celebration for years. The NFL didn’t see it that way and sent him the following letter:

“Your imitation of chugging a beer constituted an offensive demonstration and could reasonably be construed as being in poor taste,” the NFL wrote.

As expected, Juszczyk has appealed the fine and also shared his obvious reaction.

Kyle Juszczyk, Adam Schefter, Jason Kelce react to Juice’s punishment announcement

Juice has been in the league for well over a year and has been celebrating his TDs and first downs with the pantomime. Considering that this is the first time he is getting penalized for it suggests that the person issuing the fine didn’t know his signature. After all, the NFL does selectively issue the celebratory actions. And the irony was not lost on Juszczyk.

“And I don’t even drink beer!” he texted ESPN’s Adam Schefter, who also questioned the penalty.

“49ers FB Kyle Juszczyk has celebrated touchdowns and first downs his entire NFL career in his own chugging way, an ode to his nickname “Juice”. This is the first time he has been fined,” Schefter wrote.

Meanwhile, NFL legend Jason Kelce had an even more interesting way to tackle this fine.

“Juszczyk should threaten to counter sue for defamation. How dare the NFL allege false accusations. No way they can prove he was chugging alcohol. He was chugging that “juice”,” Kelce wrote in response to Schefter’s tweet.

But Kelce wasn’t done yet.

“We will absolutely not stand for this injustice, we’d be happy to make this Beer is on us @JuiceCheck44,” Kelce responded to ‘Garage Beer’ on their repost of Schefter’s tweet: “Can someone put us in touch we have $15K.”

The whole situation has certainly grown weirder by the hour. And even Juszczyk couldn’t hide his bewilderment, as he commented on Schefter’s post:

“Can’t make this stuff up.”

What’s interesting is that the entire scenario is full of ironies, considering how strict the 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan is about how his players celebrate wins.

The NFL stars poke fun at the penalty after how Shanahan controls his team’s celebratory actions

The 49ers’ usual approach to post-touchdown antics is well-regulated by the head coach. Purdy pointed to the team’s general rules, and Shanahan regularly addresses certain celebrations around the league.

“Kyle does a good job of hitting stuff around the league with violent acts after scoring touchdowns or jumping on the goalposts or whatever. And yeah, that never came up.”

According to the 49ers’ own beat coverage, Juszczyk initially thought Shanahan was joking when the coach delivered the news, and he later set up his own props for a media session, including a jug labeled “Not Beer” and a thigh pad decorated with a hand-drawn juice box. Teammates piled on in his defense almost immediately. Tight end George Kittle joked about starting a campaign of his own.

“I think we’re gonna sign a petition to Juice’s new nickname being ‘Beer,'” Kittle said. “So, that’s his new thing.”

Even three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt weighed in publicly, poking fun at the league’s reasoning.

“For a guy whose nickname is Juice, could it not be ‘reasonably construed’ that he is drinking… stay with me here… Juice?” Watt wrote.

The latest fine was not Juszczyk’s only one this season. Juszczyk had already been fined $20,033 after the 49ers’ Week 1 win over the Los Angeles Rams in Australia. The NFL cited an “impermissible use of the helmet” on a lead block for running back Christian McCaffrey, though the play was not flagged during the game.

The fine is also an unusual development for Juszczyk, who has been San Francisco’s nominee for the Art Rooney Award for sportsmanship for six straight seasons. The 14-year veteran has also made ten Pro Bowls and earned All-Pro honors in 2023 and 2025, but now the focus is on a celebration that has been part of his routine for years.

Juszczyk’s appeal is still pending, with his hearing set for Tuesday. Whatever comes of it, Purdy, the 49ers, and NFL personalities have already made their feelings pretty clear. As far as they’re concerned, Juice was just being Juice.