Big news dropped Wednesday from the NFL and NFLPA: players imitating drinking a beverage during celebrations won’t be a penalty or result in discipline anymore. This joint statement clarifies some murky waters around player expression that have been a hot topic lately, and honestly, it’s about time.
No More Fine For The Fake Chug, But Keep It Clean
The league and the Players Association came together to clarify where that line is between celebrating hard and going too far. From now on, imitating drinking a beverage is totally fine. That means your favorite player can pretend to chug a Gatorade, a water bottle, or whatever they want, without worrying about a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty or a nasty fine.
But don’t get it twisted, other stuff is still banned. You’ll still get flagged or fined for gestures that depict violence, like guns or gang signs. Same goes for anything depicting smoking, drug use, or anything sexual in nature. So, keep it fun, keep it expressive, but definitely keep it clean.
The Fines That Got Rescinded
This clarification isn’t coming out of nowhere, you know? It follows a couple of pretty high-profile fines that got a lot of people talking. Just after Week 2, 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk got dinged for $14,926 because of what the NFL called an “offensive demonstration” , him imitating chugging a beer. Juszczyk said it was always his “Juice” celebration, and guess what? That fine got reversed Wednesday, hours before the big statement.
Then in Week 3, Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson got hit with a $13,611 fine for pretending to shotgun a beer after his touchdown. He explained it was a long-time celebration of drinking Gatorade. The league had initially said his imitation “constituted an offensive demonstration and could reasonably be construed as being in poor taste.” But just like Juszczyk, Ferguson appealed, and that fine also got rescinded on Wednesday. Seems like common sense finally prevailed.
So get ready to see some thirsty players out there! Now that the NFL has made it clear that “imitating drinking a beverage will not be considered violations,” we can look forward to more expressive, fun celebrations without the players getting hit in the wallet for a little harmless hydration miming. It’s a small win for player personality, but a win nonetheless.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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