Unlike the Yankees, NFL teams can’t have facial-hair rules

The New York Yankees have made some slow-day news by revising their longstanding policy against facial hair, which has always had the feel of something George Costanza suggested — along with hitting tips, cotton uniforms, and Jon Voight day.

“Well-groomed beards” are now permitted for the men in stripes.

While I don’t know anything about the MLB’s Collective Bargaining Agreement, I know one thing about the NFL’s. No team rule regarding facial hair, or scalp hair, would be permitted.

From Article 49, Section 2: “Clubs may make and enforce reasonable rules governing players’ appearance on the field and in public places while representing the Clubs; provided, however, that no player will be disciplined because of hair length or facial hair.”

Of course, long hair can be its own punishment, since there’s no rule against pulling a player to the ground by hair that hangs out from the helmet. That’s reason enough for teams to frown upon the Samson approach.

But teams can frown all they want. They can’t fine or otherwise discipline any player who chooses to grow his hair until it stops growing. Likewise, any player can pay homage to ZZ Top, if he chooses.

It’s odd that baseball hasn’t secured similar rights for its players. The MLB’s union is often regarded as being stronger than the NFL’s. On this one specific subject, it is not.