San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk has appealed a fine imposed by the NFL following a celebration during his team’s 35 to 13 victory over the Miami Dolphins.

Juszczyk was penalised after appearing to imitate drinking from a bottle during the on field celebration. The veteran player later explained that the gesture was connected to his nickname, “Juice”, rather than an attempt to portray alcohol consumption.

The NFL viewed the celebration as an imitation of drinking beer, which falls under rules that restrict certain types of offensive demonstrations during games. The league has confirmed that Juszczyk has challenged the fine through an appeal.

The 35 year old player also defended his celebration on social media by sharing several occasions when he had performed the same gesture. One of the posts featured the caption “Fresh squeezed juice”, reinforcing his explanation behind the celebration.