The NFL has fined San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk $14,926 for a touchdown celebration that the league deemed an imitation of beer chugging — a penalty that has since drawn a response from Bud Light and plenty of criticism online.
According to Breitbart News, the episode began during Sunday’s game against the Miami Dolphins, when Juszczyk tilted his head back and raised a hand to his mouth as if drinking. The gesture was flagged as an offensive demonstration, and the league issued a fine letter calling the movement a violation.
League Calls Celebration ‘Poor Taste’
In its letter to Juszczyk, the NFL wrote that his “imitation of chugging a beer constituted an offensive demonstration and could reasonably be construed as being in poor taste.” The play happened during a 49ers win; San Francisco defeated Miami 35-13.
Juszczyk, though, says the league misread the celebration. His nickname is “Juice,” and he claims the gesture was meant to depict him drinking juice — not beer. He has used the move for years, pointing to a 2021 clip he shared after learning about the fine as evidence. This was the first time the NFL had penalized him for it.
“I wasn’t drinking beer in my celebration,” Juszczyk told reporters Thursday, per Breitbart. To drive the point home, he pointed to a juice box attached to his thigh pad and noted that fans often chant “Juice” when he catches the ball. For the locker-room interview, he also displayed a jug labeled “Not Beer.”
Kittle Backs His Teammate
Teammate George Kittle backed Juszczyk up on X, writing, “Can confirm he doesn’t really drink beer but is a good guy.”
That might have been the end of it — a quirky league fine and a player’s defense — but the official beer sponsor of the NFL decided to weigh in. Bud Light responded to the situation, keeping the joke going without taking a position on whether the fine itself was warranted.
The brand’s reply did little to quell the backlash. Fans quickly called out the NFL for fining Juszczyk over a supposed beer-chugging gesture while the league simultaneously takes money from an official beer sponsor. The apparent contradiction — penalizing a player for an act that resembles the product a major sponsor sells — became a central thread of the criticism online.
A Gesture, a Fine, and a Sponsor’s Punchline
The situation highlights the sometimes awkward intersection of league rules, player celebrations, and corporate partnerships. The NFL’s on-field conduct rules prohibit certain demonstrations, and the league has fined players in the past for gestures it considers unsportsmanlike or in poor taste. But in this case, the penalty landed on a celebration that the player says was never about beer at all.
Juszczyk’s nickname, “Juice,” has been part of his identity throughout his career, and he says the gesture was simply an extension of that — a nod to the fans who shout his nickname and the juice box he keeps on his uniform. The league, however, read it differently, and the fine stood.
Bud Light’s involvement added a layer of irony that fans were quick to notice. The brand, which holds a prominent sponsorship deal with the NFL, didn’t defend the fine or criticize it. Its response instead leaned into the humor of the moment, though that approach didn’t satisfy those already frustrated with the league’s decision.
For Juszczyk, the fine is a costly one — nearly $15,000 for a gesture he says he’s performed for years without issue. Whether the league will reconsider its interpretation going forward remains unclear. What is clear is that the celebration, the fine, and Bud Light’s response have turned a routine touchdown moment into a broader conversation about consistency, sponsorship, and how the NFL polices player celebrations.
The 49ers, meanwhile, moved to 35-13 over the Dolphins, and Juszczyk’s nickname remains “Juice.” The juice box on his thigh pad, as he made sure to show reporters, is not beer.
Source: www.breitbart.com — https://www.breitbart.com/sports/2026/09/24/bud-light-responds-after-nfl-fines-49ers-kyle-juszczyk-beer-chug-celebration/