Drink up: NFL reverses course on chugging celebrations

San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Drink up: NFL reverses course on chugging celebrations

By Adam Gretz | Last updated Oct 7, 2026 6:39 PM ET

The weirdest story to unfold in the NFL over the past couple of weeks began with the league issuing a number of fines to players for celebrating big plays by pretending to chug an invisible beverage.

Dallas Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson and San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk were among the players fined.

The fines were rightly mocked, because of all the things the NFL could attempt to seriously crack down on, that seemed to be a bizarre line in the sand.

On Wednesday, the NFL not only rescinded the previously issued fines, it also announced, through a joint statement with the NFLPA, that such celebrations will no longer be subject to discipline or fines.

NFL will allow drink-chugging celebrations

The NFL clarified that any celebration that depicts violence (including guns, knives and gang-related signs), smoking or anything sexually suggestive would still be subject to penalties, fines or both.

But pretending to take a drink?

That's now OK.

pic.twitter.com/LKf9GLcrgn
— NFLPA (@NFLPA) October 7, 2026

The initial belief here is that the NFL was trying to draw a line against celebrations that included the drinking of alcohol, which is at least a little odd given that beer is one of the products that is synonymous with the league. And while players can't actually crack open a beer on the sidelines and start chugging it for real, the idea that pretending to do so was a fineable offense just seems ... weird.

There was no drink.

It could have theoretically been anything in that pretend glass or can. Pop. Water. Juice. Iced tea. Whatever you like. Whatever you want.

That is pretty much the argument the fined players gave on appeal, and the NFL had little way of fighting it or proving otherwise. So rather continue to embarrass itself and be the fun police, the NFL decided it was easier to just let players to pretend to celebrate with a cool beverage.

Adam Gretz

Adam Gretz is a freelance writer based in Pittsburgh. He covers the NHL, NFL, MLB and NBA. Baseball is his favorite sport -- he is nearly halfway through his goal of seeing a game in every MLB ballpark. Catch him on X @AGretz

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