The NFL handed San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk a $14,926 fine for what the league called an “offensive demonstration” after a Week 2 game against the Miami Dolphins.
The move came after Juszczyk simulated chugging a beer following a play. In the league’s words: “Your imitation of chugging a beer constituted an offensive demonstration and could reasonably be construed as being in poor taste,” the NFL wrote.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Juszczyk has “celebrated touchdowns and first downs his entire NFL career in his own chugging way,” but had never been fined for it before. Juszczyk’s own response was simple: “And I don’t even drink beer!”
There’s a bit of irony here, too. Juszczyk’s nickname is “Juice,” and the NFL counts Bud Light among its major sponsors.
The league says all fines collected are “donated to the Professional Athletes Foundation to support Legends in need and the NFL Foundation to further support the health, safety and wellness of athletes across all levels, including youth football and the communities that support the game.” Since 2011, the NFL has collected around $4 million in fines per year for those causes.
Juszczyk, a former fourth-round pick of the Baltimore Ravens, is in his 14th season and has spent 10 of those years with the 49ers. He’s become a fan favorite in San Francisco, and this fine is likely to only add to that. At 35, he’s also one of the most decorated fullbacks in NFL history, with 10 Pro Bowls to his name.
In Other News...
49ers Week 3 WR Situation Just Got More Complicated For Cardinals
The 49ers wide receiver picture has been moving in the wrong direction this week, but there is at least one important break in the noise. Mike Evans is dealing with a hip issue and did not practice recently, yet the expectation is that he has a good chance to get on the field in Week 3 and be active for the game. For San Francisco, that matters because Evans has become the primary target in a receiver group that is already stretched thin by injuries.
Ian Rapoports update keeps the door open for a key part of the 49ers offensive plan to stay intact against the Cardinals. Even with the injury concern hanging over him, the outlook around Evans is notably better than it first looked, and that gives San Francisco some stability at a position where it badly needs it. The bigger question now is how much the rest of the receiver room can recover around him before kickoff. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Are Getting Early Contender Buzz For A Reason
The 49ers have opened the season with a pair of wins over the Rams and Dolphins, and the early national chatter around them has been loud for a reason. Brock Purdy has looked sharp enough to keep the offense on schedule, while the roster around him continues to give San Francisco the kind of balance that tends to travel well once the schedule gets tougher.
Even with injuries already part of the backdrop, the team has stayed in the conversation near the top of several power rankings, which says plenty about how complete it has looked through two games. Christian McCaffreys touchdown milestones have added to the momentum, and rookie Kaelon Black has also drawn notice for his early contributions, giving the 49ers more than one reason to believe the buzz is real. [Read more 🡒]
Brock Purdy Is Sharpening The Trait 49ers Need Most
Brock Purdys fifth training camp has given the 49ers plenty of evidence that hes still moving in the right direction, and Kyle Shanahan has made clear he likes what hes seeing from the quarterbacks mentality. Purdy has said his focus has been on making better decisions and staying ahead of the chains, which is the sort of steadying trait San Francisco needs from the position as it tries to keep its offense on schedule.
After two games, Purdys efficiency has shown up in the numbers, with a completion rate of 80.4 percent to go with five touchdown passes, a rushing score and one interception. The bigger question for the 49ers is how far that decision-making can carry once defenses keep forcing him to solve tighter windows and more stressful situations, because the early returns suggest the improvement is real even if the full test is still ahead. [Read more 🡒]