Jason Kelce urged San Francisco 49ers star Kyle Juszczyk to fight back after the NFL fined him $14,926 for “engaging in offensive demonstrations” during a celebration.
“Juszczyk should threaten to counter sue for defamation,” Kelce, 38, wrote via X on Thursday, September 25. “How dare the NFL allege false accusations.”
The fine was issued against Juszczyk, 35, earlier in the day on Thursday, after the NFL deemed he did an “imitation of chugging beer” during the 49ers’ win against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, September 20.
Juszczyk, who is nicknamed Juice, insisted he was imitating drinking juice, not a cold one.
“No way they can prove he was chugging alcohol,” Kelce added. “He was chugging that ‘juice.’”
After the punishment was levied, Juszczyk texted NFL insider Adam Schefter, “I don’t even drink beer!”
Juszczyk held a summit with reporters after practice on Thursday to address the fine.
“I don’t know how else to say it,” the star fullback said. “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, and it’s been that way for years. I was as surprised as anybody when I got a fine.”
Juszczyk said he has officially appealed the fine, which he found out about from 49ers head coach, Kyle Shanahan, during practice on Wednesday, September 23.
“I thought maybe he was just messing with me, but it’s real,” Juszczyk said. “My hearing is on Tuesday, and hopefully something changes.”
Juszczyk clarified on Thursday that he drinks beer “like five times a year in the offseason” because his teammate George Kittle “peer pressures me.”
Kittle, 32, couldn’t help but joke about the situation.
“Juice’s new nickname is ‘Beer’ now,” the tight end quipped on Thursday. “That’s his new thing. As a team, we voted on that today.”
When issuing the fine to Juszczyk, the NFL noted that “players are expected to conduct themselves in a manner that reflects positively on the game and is consistent with NFL standards of sportsmanship.”
As for Jason’s support, Kyle and his wife, Kristin, have been friends with the Kelce family for years, with Kyle and Kristin, 32, even attending the wedding of Jason’s brother, Travis, and Taylor Swift this summer.
In an exclusive interview with Us just days after the wedding, Kyle called it the “most incredible event.”
