News of the second retirement of Titans president Steve Underwood has caused many to recognize for the first time a glorious and distinctive configuration of facial hair that caused him to go viral on Friday.
“I work my fingers to the bone for 40 years, and what comes out of it -- people are talking about my mustache and beard,” Underwood told John McClain of the Houston Chronicle, with a laugh.
“I never take myself too seriously, so I’m okay with it,” Underwood explained to McClain. “I’m not a very attractive guy, and what people notice is all the facial hair. Over time, it’s become part of my persona. I get a lot of compliments about my beard and mustache, usually from others who have beards and mustaches.”
Underwood told McClain that eating isn’t a problem, and that Underwood’s wife helps him trim the combo every week.
“It can be a little bit of a nuisance, and it can get a little rough around the edges between trims, but we try to keep it clean and well-groomed,” he said.
Underwood developed the look during his first retirement, a four-year break that ended in 2015. So why does he have it?
“I wear it to confuse facial recognition devices,” Underwood said.
There can be no confusing Underwood with anyone else in sports. And an unforgettable look that has been hiding in plain sight for half of a decade is finally getting the attention it deserves.