The New York Yankees. For YEARS, this team has been known as the ‘rich family’ on the block. They have been seen as the ‘high-brow’ organization, who flaunts their money in a variety of ways, while still holding on to the ‘elitist’ vibe that they’ve had for decades! Whether it’s them spending COPIOUS amounts of money to bring in the best talent, or something as simple as their ‘facial hair rule;’ this team has always tried to keep a high-class aura floating around their organization.

But now, after YEARS of telling players and staff to clean up their acts……it looks like the organization has finally seen the error of their ways. It looks like the folks in the ivory towers of Yankee Stadium are taking a left-turn, and will OFFICIALLY be joining us in the 21st century.

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

Ladies and Gentlemen……the ‘facial hair rule’ is OFFICIALLY (somewhat) DEAD! This moronic rule that was instituted almost 50 years ago, when our parents and grandparents were still wearing suits on planes, is (somewhat) NO MORE! Players will officially be able to grow/keep their facial hair when donning the Yankee Pinstripes, just as long as it’s “well-groomed” and professional looking.

THIS is a major step forward for an organization that’s been living in the past for so long. Hal Steinbrenner and co. can FINALLY stop stealing the character of men like Johnny Damon…..

Name someone who played on BOTH sides of a rivalry 😈

I’ll start: Johnny Damon#RedSox | #Yankees pic.twitter.com/4ay2xJCQm4

— FanDuel (@FanDuel) February 21, 2025

Kevin Youkilis…

Kevin Youkilis: 28 Games #Yankees pic.twitter.com/FryFgr7Mye

— Random Yankees Players (@YankeesRandom) January 25, 2019

and most recently, Devin Williams.

Almost didn’t recognize Devin Williams without a beard today at Yankees Spring Training 🤣

(via @Yankees) pic.twitter.com/3nT905KfWZ

— MLB (@MLB) February 13, 2025

Personally, as someone who has been an avid Yankee hater his whole life……I LOVE this move. I love the fact that the Yankees have given in to all of the jokes, and the banter surrounding this antiquated order in their clubhouse. It has been a long time coming, and even though the fellas still need to keep the beards “well groomed;” we can finally say that we’ve lived long enough to see this die.

If anything, if you’re not a baseball fan and need a comparison to get behind……this cultural shift is similar to your grandfather getting his first iPhone. It really is! Just think about your old Nokia-loving granddad, who always preached how his ancient brick of a cellular device was “perfect” and that he didn’t need to “conform” to the rest of the world. But then, after seeing all of the fun that people were having around him, he decided to break his old habits and “give in” to the shift.

That, my friends, is basically what we have here. The Yankees are your granddad, and the beards are the iPhones. It’s as simple as that.

The question though is……who will be the first one to take advantage of this rule? Will it be Cody Bellinger? Devin Williams? Or will the whole roster just come out one day looking like lumberjacks at a job interview?

Only time will tell. But in the end, as always….what do I know? I’m just a guy from the Midwest, with a beer and a laptop, trying to make sense of this world.