Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images

NFL Announces Punishment For 49ers FB Kyle Juszczyk

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Chris Phelps | Last updated Jan 17, 2026 4:09 PM ET

Kyle Juszczyk and the San Francisco 49ers finished out the 2025 NFL regular season with a 12-5 record, good for third in the NFC West and the No. 6 seed in the NFC playoffs. And in the wild-card round, the 49ers kept their season alive by taking down Jalen Hurts and the defending champion Philadelphia Eagles 23-19 on the road.

With 2 minutes, 5 seconds remaining in the third quarter and San Francisco trailing by six, quarterback Brock Purdy dumped the ball off to Juszczyk, who raced for 27 yards and a first down, his longest gain of the day. At the end of the play, however, Juszczyk lowered his head and made helmet-to-helmet contact with Eagles safety Reed Blankenship before linebacker Zack Baun finished the tackle.

While no flag was thrown on the play, Juszczyk’s hit on Blankenship still had the potential to result in a fine. In 2013, the NFL added a rule that put “a ban on a ball carrier initiating contact with the crown of his helmet in the open field or by a defender while making a tackle,” which is what Juszczyk appeared to do on the play.

San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk (44).David Gonzales-Imagn Images

In the NFL, players can be fined up to $23,186 for a first “impermissible use of the helmet/launching” violation, with the amount increasing to $46,371 for a second offense. And on Saturday, the league announced that Juszczyk was fined $10,144 for his hit on Blankenship and was assessed an additional $10,144 fine for a separate illegal use of the helmet in the second quarter.

Juszczyk was not the only player from the wild-card round fined for illegal use of the helmet. Chicago Bears defensive end Austin Booker was assessed a $46,371 fine, his second of the season, for impermissible use of the helmet during the Bears' 31-27 victory over the rival Green Bay Packers.

This was not the first time Juszczyk has been fined during his 13-year NFL career. In 2024 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the fullback was fined $11,817 for a low block, and in the 2024 regular-season finale against the Arizona Cardinals, Juszczyk was charged $16,619 for a similar impermissible use of the helmet.

JUUUICEEEE

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— NFL (@NFL) January 11, 2026

Juszczyk and the 49ers now move on to the divisional round, where they will face the Seattle Seahawks for a spot in the NFC Championship Game. The game begins at 8 p.m. ET Saturday on Fox and the Fox Sports app.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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