The baseball world was shocked when the New York Yankees announced that the organization would be relaxing on their facial hair policy. The Yankees' announcement to allow beards is no doubt a surprising one since it's been a policy that has been in effect for several decades as team executive Brian Cashman made a humorous comparison to a famous television show.

According to Bryan Hoch, he pointed out that New York star Gerrit Cole pointed out that Cashman told the team about the new policy change. In that announcement, he would say that he doesn't want the players to “look like Duck Dynasty,” a reality show filled with men who have long beards.

“Gerrit Cole said Brian Cashman informed the players about the new grooming policy today,” Hoch wrote on his X, formerly Twitter, page. “Cashman told them: ‘We’re not trying to look like Duck Dynasty.'”

Yankees' Hal Steinbrenner on new policy change

Hal Steinbrenner during a press conference at Yankee Stadium.
Jessica Alcheh-Imagn Images

As even Yankees manager Aaron Boone gave his thoughts on the policy change, it was announced by New York's Managing General Partner Hal Steinbrenner on Friday to the shock of many. He would mention in the statement released via the team's social media accounts that he would speak to many “former and current” members of the franchise about the decision.

“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 I appreciate their earnest and varied feedback. These most recent conversations are an extension of ongoing internal dialogue that dates back several years,” Steinbrenner said.

“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,” Steinbrenner continued. “It is the appropriate time to move beyond the familiar comfort of our former policy.”

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Yankees' old policy detracted players?

There is one rule the Yankees will keep when it comes to facial hair which is that “no hair grown below the collar” which will stay in effect. However, Steinbrenner would speak about the change and spoke of a possible scenario where a player didn't want to play for the ball club because of the rule according to The New York Post.

“If I ever found out that a player we wanted to acquire, to make us better, to get us a championship, did not want to be here, and if he had the ability to, would not come here because of that policy, as important as it is to that generation, that would be very, very concerning,” Steinbrenner said. “I am fairly convinced that’s a real concern.”

“Winning was the most important thing to my father and, again, I think if somebody came and told him they were very sure that this could affect us getting the players we want to get,” Steinbrenner continued. “If something like this would detract from that, lessen our chances, I don’t know, I think he might be a little more apt to do the change I did than people think because it was about winning.”

New York has championship aspirations heading into the season as spring training is underway.