New York Yankees End Outdated Facial Hair Policy, Will Allow ‘Well-Groomed’ Beards

The facial hair policy that George Steinbrenner put in place in 1976 has now been amended, but the New York Yankees still won't give their players free reign to groom themselves how they choose.

Tampa, Florida, USA; New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman and owner Hal Steinbrenner look on during spring training workouts at Yankees Players Development Complex. | Kim Klement-Imagn Images

For nearly 50 years, the New York Yankees have been baseball’s least hairy team.

That may still be the case entering the 2025 season, but the roster will apparently have more freedom to express themselves moving forward.

The Yankees announced Friday morning that they would be ammending their longstanding facial hair policy. Since 1976, when then-owner George Steinbrenner codified his desire to have the team to adopt a more corporate look, facial hair other than mustaches had been banned in the Bronx.

Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner released a statement on the alteration of his father’s policy.

“In recent weeks I have spoken to a large number of former and current Yankees – spanning several eras – to elicit their perspectives on our longstanding facial hair and grooming policy, and l appreciate their earnest and varied feedback,” Steinbrenner wrote. “These most recent conversations are an extension of ongoing internal dialogue that dates back several years. Ultimately the final decision rests with me, and after great consideration, we will be amending our expectations to allow our players and uniformed personnel to have well-groomed beards moving forward. It is the appropriate time to move beyond the familiar comfort of our former policy.”

Steinbrenner’s statement did not address the team’s policy banning hair past the collar, though.

Statement from Yankees Managing General Partner Hal Steinbrenner on the alteration of Yankees facial hair policy: pic.twitter.com/UdEuAg3gZy

— New York Yankees (@Yankees) February 21, 2025

The Yankees had come under fire from fans, players and the media alike for continuing to uphold their policy in recent years. Especially in regards to disallowing long hair, some believed the rules to be racially insensitive, effectively banning players from sporting dreadlocks.

All-Star closer Devin Williams played with a beard his entire tenure with the Milwaukee Brewers. When he showed up to the Yankees’ spring training camp last week, he was clean-shaven.

Crudely photoshopped pictures of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in a Yankees cap without dreadlocks or a beard have also appeared on social media, with fans claiming the policy will prevent the superstar first baseman from choosing New York in free agency next winter.

It may have been easy to get away with when the club was winning World Series in the 1990s and 2000s, but fans and players patience has been tested amid their 16-years championship drought.

The front office apparently heard enough complaints to budge, but not to remove the policies entirely.

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