49ers amused, Kyle Juszczyk appeals absurd NFL fine over TD celebration

SANTA CLARA — Kyle Juszczyk arrived at his locker and began to carefully arrange a couple props as a backdrop.As cameras circled around the San Francisco 49ers fullback and sudden lightning rod, a teammate offered him some advice dripping in sarcasm: “Remember, Juice, nothing to hurt the league,” he told him.

“Protect the shield.”In the eyes of the NFL, Juszczyk already did enough damage to the league’s preciously protected image with his celebration after catching a touchdown pass last Sunday.The league sent shockwaves across social media when it fined Juszczyk $14,296, claiming that the act “constituted an offensive demonstration and could reasonably be construed as being in poor taste,” according to a letter from the NFL obtained by ESPN insider Adam Schefter.Why’s that? The NFL described it as an “imitation of chugging a beer.”One problem:“I don’t even drink beer,” Juszczyk said, exasperated, after practice Thursday.“I don’t know how else to say it: I wasn’t drinking beer in my celebration.

I think you guys all know, my nickname is ‘Juice;’ I have ‘Juice’ on my pads; the stadium yells ‘Juice’ when I catch the ball.When I celebrate, I celebrate by drinking juice.

It’s been that way for years.So I was as surprised as anybody when I got a fine.” The biggest news, opinion and culture shaping California right now.

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Never miss a story Juszczyk appealed the fine — as well as the $20,033 hit he took for unnecessary use of the head in their Week 1 game — which will be litigated over Zoom in a hearing on Tuesday.It stands to reason that he has a solid case.The celebration was nothing out of the ordinary for Juszczyk, who has broken out similar demonstrations in the past as a nod to his well-known nickname (a play on his last name, which is pronounced “YOOZ-check...