The New York Yankees, long known for their strict grooming policy, have finally loosened the reins.
As of February 2025, players, coaches, and uniformed personnel are allowed to sport “well-groomed beards,” marking the end of a decades old rule that banned facial hair below the upper lip (except for mustaches.)
The change, confirmed by team owner Hal Steinbrenner in a statement to the YES Network, scraps a policy instituted in 1973 by George Steinbrenner, who famously demanded clean shaven faces to maintain a professional image.
That rule led to iconic moments, like Don Mattingly’s 1991 benching for refusing to trim his mullet and mustache, and players shaving at their lockers to comply.
Now, beards are fair game as long as they’re neat (no wild, unkempt looks allowed.)
Hair length rules have also eased, though it still can’t extend below the jersey collar.
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