Brett Keisel's 2020 'Shear Da Beard' Event to be his Last
PITTSBURGH -- When Brett Keisel was drafted by the Steelers in seventh-round of the 2002 NFL Draft no one imagined he'd become the Pittsburgh legend he is today. With his mark on the city comes an annual event Keisel has held for UPMC Children's Hospital called 'Shear Da Beard'.
The event takes place annually and has a special guest help Keisel shave his iconic beard in front of hundreds who attend. Money from the event goes directly towards cancer programs at the Children's Hospital.
But Keisel says this year's event will be his last.
"It’s just time to switch things up," Keisel told TribLive's Madasyn Lee. "I think people have seen the beard get trimmed here for the last 10 years, and I think it’s a nice time to end that part of the fundraising and go on to something new."
Keisel didn't indicate what that next project might be, but said he loves how the city of Pittsburgh comes together for great causes like this.
"All the money goes toward programs that directly help the families and kids that are fighting there on a daily basis, and Pittsburgh has shown up,” Keisel told Lee. "Pittsburgh is such a fantastic city where we look out for each other, take care of each other and show up for each other. I love this place."
The two-time Super Bowl champion first grew out what would eventually become his historic look in 2010 during the team's Super Bowl run. Tagging the Penguins for the idea, Keisel said it was a good luck charm that just happened to stick.
"I wanted to bring some good luck to us. We ended up making it all the way to the Super Bowl, but fell short," Keisel said. "It definitely was a key emotion in ‘Shear Da Beard.’ I don’t know if we would have done ‘Shear Da Beard’ after Dallas had we won. I don’t know what would have happened, but I wanted to do something for the fans and for the great kids at Children’s and the doctors and nurses that work there on a daily basis."
The 2020 'Shear Da Beard' event has already sold out with each ticket priced at $99. This year's celebrity barbers include Ben Roethlisberger, Cameron Heyward and James Harrison.
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