Sports

“We Voted On That”: George Kittle Reveals New Nickname for Kyle Juszczyk

Nairavoice · Sep 25, 2026 · 3 min read

George Kittle usually has no trouble making reporters laugh. This time, his joke came from an unusual situation involving one of his closest teammates. Kyle Juszczyk had just received an NFL fine for a celebration he has used for years.

The league viewed Juszczyk’s gesture as an imitation of drinking beer. Juszczyk said the celebration had a very different meaning. His explanation then gave Kittle the perfect chance to create a new nickname inside the 49ers locker room.

George Kittle Gives Kyle Juszczyk a New Nickname

George Kittle brought up the situation before reporters could ask him about the fine. The 49ers tight end said the team planned to sign a petition making Juszczyk’s new nickname “Beer.” Kittle then added that the players had voted on the name that day.

Kyle Juszczyk responds to being fined for imitating ‘chugging a beer’ despite his nickname being ‘juice’

George Kittle decided they should change his nickname pic.twitter.com/qyjxbPqxkx

— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) September 25, 2026

The joke followed a $14,926 fine from the NFL. Juszczyk received the punishment for his celebration during San Francisco’s 35-13 win over the Miami Dolphins on Sept. 20.

According to the league, Juszczyk was imitating someone chugging a beer. The NFL called the gesture an “offensive demonstration” that could reasonably be viewed as being in poor taste. The Associated Press obtained the league’s fine letter.

However, Juszczyk said alcohol had nothing to do with his celebration. He explained that the gesture was connected to the nickname he has used throughout his 49ers career.

“I wasn’t drinking beer in my celebration,” Juszczyk told reporters Thursday. “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.”

Juszczyk has used the celebration many times during his career with San Francisco. He said he was surprised to receive the fine because the gesture has long been connected to “Juice.” The nickname is also part of the reaction he receives from 49ers fans when he makes a play.

Kyle Juszczyk Says the Celebration Was Always About “Juice”

The situation became more unusual when Juszczyk discussed his own relationship with beer. He said he does not drink it often and estimated that he might have beer only about five times a year during the offseason.

According to Juszczyk, those occasions usually involve Kittle. He joked that his teammate pressures him into drinking. That detail gave Kittle another reason to continue using the new “Beer” nickname.

Juszczyk has appealed the NFL’s decision. He said his hearing is scheduled for Tuesday and plans to challenge the $14,926 celebration fine.

The fullback will also appeal a separate punishment from the league. That fine was worth $20,033 and came from Week 1 for illegal use of his helmet. The two appeals involve different plays and different amounts.

The NFL’s decision also drew a response from 49ers left tackle Trent Williams. Williams said the league official responsible for the punishment may not have watched Juszczyk use the celebration during his long career in San Francisco. That was Williams’ opinion about why the gesture may have been misunderstood.

For Juszczyk, the meaning of the celebration has remained the same for years. The NFL saw an imitation of drinking beer, while Juszczyk said he was pretending to drink juice. Kittle has now turned that disagreement into a locker-room joke and a new nickname for his teammate.