After his team's Week 2 game of the NFL season, San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk received two separate $14,926 fines for simulating chugging a drink on the field, which the NFL classified as unsportsmanlike conduct for "illegal celebrations and vulgar acts." According to NFL insider Adam Schefter on Monday, the league rescinded his Week 2 fines, indicating that they'd fined him for an act that appeared to be chugging a beer, but "his celebration was simulating drinking a juice box, not a beer." That makes sense since Juszczyk's nickname is "Juice." In addition, Schefter said the league noted, "Mr. Juszczyk finally stated that the fine is hypocritical given the amount of Bud Light sponsorships surrounding the NFL." Both fines were ultimately rescinded, and Juszczyk has since received a sweet benefit from the publicity surrounding his celebration. More news: Maxx Crosby Gets Honest About Patrick Mahomes After Chiefs Defeat Raiders According to 49ers reporter Cam Inman, Juszczyk said, "All in all, it worked out," as he's since received marketing deals from Ocean Spray and C4 Energy drinks following the news of his controversial fines.
On Wednesday, ESPN said the Ocean Spray partnership features a promotion where the company is giving away 14,926 bottles of juice. The 35-year-old Harvard graduate certainly made the most of the publicity surrounding his chugging celebration. Juszczyk is now in his 14th season in the league and is a 10-time Pro Bowl selection and a two-time First-Team All-Pro.
He's currently playing for one of the league's three undefeated teams, and the 49ers are being discussed as a legitimate NFC contender to reach the Super Bowl. Through four games, Juszczyk has four receptions for 55 yards and one touchdown. Unfortunately, Juszczyk suffered a bone bruise to his right knee in San Francisco's recent victory over the Denver Broncos.
The 49ers' fullback is expected to miss multiple weeks, per The Athletic's Matt Barrows. Juszczyk's two fines were initially for his chugging celebrations in Week 2 as his team defeated the struggling Miami Dolphins. One of those celebrations came after his touchdown reception.
"Even if it was beer, I don’t think that should be a problem with all of the beer endorsements that we have in the NFL. Even if it was beer, which it wasn’t, I still felt like it wasn’t an infraction," he told reporters about his fine from the locker room earlier this month. Juszczyk and his wife also took the opportunity to create a humorous video of them preparing a $14,926 glass of juice to mock the fine for his chugging celebration.
Now he's turned a juice celebration into juicy marketing deals with those two companies, while his undefeated team continues to emerge as an NFC contender. The San Francisco 49ers next face their division rivals, the Seattle Seahawks, on Sunday, Oct. 11. More news: Eagles’ Jalen Hurts Gets Blunt Reality Check After Lane Johnson Retirement For more about the San Francisco 49ers and NFL, visit Newsweek Sports.
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