NFL Reverses Kyle Juszczyk Fine After Juice Celebration Explanation

Cooler heads at the NFL prevailed this week by admitting an obvious misstep and fixing it immediately. They fined San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk last Tuesday, only to reverse that decision shortly after. The league told Juszczyk on Sept. 24 that his $14,926 penalty for a celebration was mistaken. It wasn't about drinking beer at all.

Juszczyk built a solid defense against the accusation. He does not generally drink alcohol. His nickname is "Juice," which fans chant whenever he makes a play on the field. He claimed he was imitating drinking juice, not hops and barley. The ESPN report confirmed that the NFL hearing officer listened to this explanation and found it justifiable.

The official reason for reversing the fine came down to one simple fact. "...Because his celebration was simulating drinking a juice box." The league had originally labeled Juszczyk's move an offensive demonstration in poor taste. But during the Zoom appeal held Tuesday, Mr. Juszczyk stated clearly that the fine felt hypocritical given all the Bud Light sponsorships surrounding the NFL. That argument landed hard. It is true after all.

News of the original fine shocked Juszczyk because he has done this same celebration for years without issue. He insisted it never involved beer. "I don't know how else to say it. I wasn't drinking beer in my celebration," he said. "I think you guys all know my nickname is 'Juice.' I have juice inscribed on my pads, and the stadium yells, 'Juice' when I catch the ball." He added that he might drink five times a year, always in the offseason with teammate George Kittle because of peer pressure.

The best news this week was definitely voiding that fine. That matters because Juszczyk suffered a knee injury Sunday against the Denver Broncos. An MRI on Monday showed he had a hyperextension and bone bruise. Coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed he would miss a few weeks. So all juice drinking celebrations are officially on hold right now.