Social media posts claimed that Paul O’Neill faced the “toughest battle of his life.” Elsa / Getty Images
New York Yankees legend Paul O’Neill does not have cancer, the YES Network announced on Wednesday, refuting several widely circulated posts on social media claiming that the 62-year-old had fallen ill.
“There are some fake Facebook posts (and who knows what else) circulating, stating that Paul O’Neill has cancer,” YES Network spokesman Eric Handler wrote in an email to news outlets. “I just spoke with Paul. He DOES NOT have cancer!”
One post published to Facebook on Tuesday morning claimed that the five-time World Series winner and current YES Network analyst was facing the “toughest battle of his life, facing cancer.” The post, which included a fake quote from O’Neill, had generated 5,600 “likes” and 1,800 comments as of early Wednesday afternoon.
The post included a link to a website that included fabricated quotes attributed to general manager Brian Cashman and Joe Torre.
Another post claiming O’Neil had cancer, also posted Tuesday morning, had generated nearly 1,000 likes as of this publication.
O’Neill played 17 major-league seasons, including nine with the Yankees and eight with the Cincinnati Reds. He was a five-time All-Star, and he retired in 2001. A longtime fan-favorite for his intensity on the field, he’s been a YES Network broadcaster for more than two decades.
Nov 26, 2025
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