The NFL’s crackdown on touchdown celebrations has a new target in Jake Ferguson. Fans are pointing out the irony of a league that profits from beer sponsorships punishing a player for pretending to drink one.
The Cowboys tight end was fined $13,611 for what the league called an “imitation of shotgunning a beer” during Dallas’ Week 2 win over Washington, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The NFL’s letter to Ferguson stated the celebration “constituted an offensive demonstration and could reasonably be construed as being in poor taste.” Ferguson is appealing the penalty, Schefter and ESPN’s Todd Archer both reported.
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Fans did not hold back on X:
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“But Football promotes Beer in the advertisements???” one fan wrote.
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“This NFL Fine is brought to you by Bud Light in conjunction with FanDuel! Use code “hypocrite”. (ruin your life responsibly)” another fan wrote.
“How much you wanna bet a beer commercial played immediately after this touchdown too,” one more fan wrote.
Here are more fan reactions:
“Yes cause the NFL never promotes alcohol,” one fan wrote.
“Does the NFL have beer sponsors?” another fan wrote.
“Maybe the official beer of the league should pay these fines!!!” one fan commented.
Jake Ferguson‘s fine came one day after 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk was docked $14,926 for a similar chugging gesture against Miami, a celebration he has used throughout his career as a nod to his nickname, “Juice.” Indianapolis guard Matt Goncalves was also fined for the same type of celebration this week.
Ferguson caught four passes for 43 yards and two touchdowns as the Cowboys beat the Commanders 27-20 at AT&T Stadium, improving to 1-1 on the season.
Juszczyk’s appeal may carry more weight than Jake Ferguson’s
Former NFL All-Pro center Jason Kelce said on X that the league couldn’t prove Juszczyk was mimicking beer at all, writing that the fullback “should threaten to counter sue for defamation” since “he was chugging that ‘juice.'” ESPN’s Nick Wagoner echoed the sentiment, calling the fine “wild” given how often Juszczyk has performed the gesture over the years without punishment.
Juszczyk was fined separately this season, taking a $20,033 hit for illegal helmet use in Week 1 against the Rams in Melbourne.
Edited by Aman Kashyap