National Football League

Keisel to shave off beard for charity

Published Feb. 18, 2011 12:00 a.m. ET

foxsports

Steelers defensive end Brett Keisel has finally resigned himself to parting with the facial feature he dubbed his "beautiful thing," with tickets on sale Friday to witness the charity shearing of his trademark beard.

With a Facebook tribute group and testimony from its owner of "magical powers," Keisel's beard earned a legion of fans during Pittsburgh's celebrated run to the Super Bowl XLV final.

But after the magic ran out, with a loss to the Green Bay Packers on Feb. 6, Keisel was ready to reconnect with his chin in a high-profile shaving at the hands of "surprise celebrity barbers," according to the event promotional site.

Held at the Diesel Club Lounge in Pittsburgh, Pa., on Feb. 24, "Shear the beard with Brett Keisel" was demanding $25-a-ticket, with the money raised benefiting cancer programs at a local children's hospital.

But the pass also offered entrants the opportunity to purchase a "priceless" lock of Keisel's mammoth beard, along with framed before-and-after photos of the 32-year-old.