Ja'Marr Chase to appeal NFL celebration fine, urges NFLPA to advocate for players

The NFL issued multiple fines this week for player celebrations, and Cincinnati Bengals star wide receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins are among those who face punishment from the league. Chase and Higgins unveiled a new celebration in their 20-6 win over the Houston Texans , which the former said was an homage to Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's wrestling career, but the NFL -- and many others who saw it on Sunday -- has a different interpretation.

The celebration begins with the receivers bending their arms, making a fist, and holding their elbows with their other hand. They then lower their forearm and point forward. Some saw the gesture as phallic, but Chase said it as a version of the "People's Elbow," which Johnson made famous as his finishing move during his WWE stardom.

"I can't say what something we made up, and then everybody else saying what it is," Chase said in his Thursday media availability . "I can't sit there and say that. Everybody's gonna have their opinion of what it looked like, what it is."

Chase's celebration circulated widely throughout the NFL universe because it came after he made an incredible touchdown catch, one that might be an early contender for the best grab of the entire season .

> WHAT A CATCH BY JA'MARR CHASE FOR THE TD pic.twitter.com/M1vbRIiESS — NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) September 20, 2026

Chase said that he wants to appeal the fine. It is unclear how much money he and Higgins owe the NFL. He also said that he is unsure whether they will continue to use the celebration.

"It was something different for us, something new, something we were trying to be unique with," Chase said. "They're just stopping our fun. It is what it is."

The NFL fined two other players for what it called "offensive demonstrations." The league accused Indianapolis Colts guard Matt Goncalves and San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk of imitating the chugging of beer, which could "reasonably be construed as being in poor taste."

49ers' Kyle Juszczyk fined for 'offensive demonstration' in win vs. Dolphins Jordan Dajani

Goncalves' celebration came after tight end Tyler Warren scored a touchdown. Warren handed the ball to Goncalves and pretended to pop the top off the ball.

Juszczyk made the gesture after catching a touchdown pass in the rout of the Miami Dolphins . He said that this is a regular celebration that he uses after touchdowns and first downs and is an ode to his nickname, "Juice," rather than to alcoholic beverages. In fact, the fullback said to ESPN that he does not even drink beer.

> Kyle Juszczyk extends the @49ers ' lead MIAvsSF on FOX/FOX One Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/dpt6NfGpWy — NFL (@NFL) September 20, 2026

Chase responded to Juszczyk's fine and called for change at the players union level.

"I think this is where the superstars have to get in with the NFLPA and fight for our money," Chase said. "If he's getting fined for doing a drinking gesture, a juice gesture, then, I mean, I'm getting fined for an elbow and doing the first down thing. I can't really do much about it. We can complain. I don't even think we can tweet about it, because we get fined for tweeting about it. It's really like players gotta keep their mouth shut and deal with it. We gotta have a superstar on the NFLPA to do something about it, help us along the way."

The NFL's schedule of infractions and fines lists a $14,926 charge for the first offense of unsportsmanlike conduct and $20,897 for the second offense. Juszczyk's fine was $14,926 while the league charged Goncalves $8,847.

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_Originally reported by [CBS Sports](https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/bengals-jamarr-chase-nfl-celebration-fine-2026/)._