“He’s a great sportsman. Great sportsman,” said 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey with a smile.
“Juice is one of the biggest trash-talkers I’ve ever been a part of in my nine-year career,” said 49ers tight end George Kittle.
“Who me?!” Juszczyk said with a laugh.
As he has been every year since the 2020 season, 49ers fullback and captain, Kyle Juszczyk, is the San Francisco 49ers’ nominee for the NFL’s 12th Annual Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award.
“I love that he’s up for sportsmanship, because I think there is an aspect of trash-talking that’s not offensive, that is good and sportsmanshippy, so I’m happy for him,” Kittle said.
The award is given to “an NFL player who best demonstrates the qualities of on-field sportsmanship, including fair play, respect for the game and opponents and integrity in competition.”
For 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan, the other Kyle being nominated for the award is a no-brainer.
“…Guys can do stuff on paper, they can do it when it’s all like set up and lined up exactly how you tell them it’s going to be,” said 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan. “But Kyle, just almost everything’s slow motion for him…
“…[W]hen other people take the wrong guy, he can just naturally adjust and go take their guy like you wouldn’t even notice someone made a bust. When we throw the ball to him, it doesn’t matter how big of a moment, what the situation is, he always comes down with it. He gets up the field after the catch as good as anyone on our team and just one of the better football players I have ever been around.”
When one performs consistently at the level Juszczyk has performed throughout his career, one has the right to throw a word jab here and there.
“I talk sometimes, but I feel like it’s always warranted,” Juszczyk said. “Usually, I get incited, or provoked, and you’ve got to respond in the right way sometimes.”
Juszczyk’s responses can truly be a gut punch, but an elite trash-talker has a reputation to live up to.
“Juice knows how to put the words together and throw them at people…It’s pretty impressive if you ask me,” 49ers running back Brian Robinson Jr. told FGSN.
Well, he did go to Harvard.
“I have a very specific style,” Juszczyk said. “I hit people with just straight logic. It’s not ‘You’re trash.’ It’s, ‘Our whole game plan was to go against you because you’re the weakest player on your team.’ I’ve had guys years later tell me they still remember it. And I’d be like, ‘I just made that up.’ But that stuff hits people in their core.
“You get cursed out every game — that bounces off. But when you say something like that, they start thinking about it.”
Juszczyk is well-known for all he is able to do on the field, but he’s also teaching his teammates and those around him off the field.
“His versatility,” Robinson said. “Not only the things he can do on the field, his impact off-the-field, not only how he impacts his teammates but how he impacts the community as well.”
Juszczyk’s wife and founder of Off Season Brand, Kristin Juszczyk, has witnessed what her husband brings to his team since the beginning.
“Kyle is competitive in truly everything he does in life, but he is also an incredible teacher and leader,” Kristin Juszczyk said. “He leads by example and puts everything on the line for this teammates. He is, and always will be, a selfless teammate and is always looking out for the greater good of the team.”
Juszczyk’s leadership shows up in how he communicates — and how intentional he is about it.
“I think he talks to guys based off their level of intelligence,” Kittle explained. “He knows how to get through to people.”
Perhaps Kristin Juszczyk, said it best: “He enters a different mindset when he steps on the field. But I know Kyle definitely hits them with psychological warfare.”
“Juice is the man,” said 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy. “He’s got a great public aura like we’ve talked about before. But yeah, like just around the boys man, he loves to talk trash to us and sort of humble everyone else around him. He’s a vet, he’s been in the league for a while, but good for him. I’m glad he’s got another award.”
The Eight finalists from the 32 nominees will be listed on the Pro Bowl ballot under the NFL Sportsmanship Award category when players vote ithis month, so he hasn’t won yet, but we love a good manifestation.
For backup quarterback Mac Jones, Juszczyk has provided some solid nutrition advice. Like Robinson said, versatility.
“I really just like talking to him every day about his process,” Jones said. “He drinks chia seed water…He told me about it and said, ‘Hey, you should try this out. It’ll help you.’ So now I do it. That’s just one example.
“Obviously, on the field, everyone knows who he is as a fullback…He’s always playing the game the right way…He goes out there and does his job. The fans love him, our teammates love him, and our coaches love him. That’s all you can ask for.”
It’s not always gentle encouragement, but it’s effective.
“He’s not always the nicest guy,” Kittle said. “He doesn’t need to pat you on the back and be a shoulder to cry on for every single person. He knows how to motivate guys in the right way. I really respect that about him. I’d say Juice is one of the biggest leaders on this team.”
That approach comes from experience — and from understanding people.
“He’s a true vet, really good human, really good leader in this locker room,” said second-year wide receiver Ricky Pearsall. “There’s only good things when you talk about Juice.”
That balance — competitive, thoughtful, and respectful — is exactly why Juszczyk stands out.
“I think it’s just how he is as a guy…He’s always involved, and he’s using his platfor in the right way, so there’s no question,” said TE Luke Farrell.
There may be jokes about trash talk, but there’s no debate about the respect.
“Juice is the best, man,” McCaffrey said. “He’s deserving of a lot of awards, but he’s the ultimate teammate, the ultimate pro — somebody that represents this organization and what it means to be a professional football player in the NFL better than anybody I know. Whatever the award is (said with a laugh), he deserves it.”