New York Yankees legend Paul O’Neill is trending on social media this week for an alarming reason.
O’Neill played in the MLB from 1985-2001. Although he spent nine years with the Cincinnati Reds, he’s best known for his time in the Bronx. The five-time World Series champion finished his career with a .288 batting average, 281 homers and 2,105 hits.
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Earlier this week, a rumor claiming that O’Neill has cancer surfaced on Facebook.
The graphic that’s going viral on Facebook even includes this quote: “I’m not going to let cancer take me down without a fight. I’ve always been someone who doesn’t back down from a challenge, and this one is no different.”
YES Network addresses the rumor.
On Wednesday afternoon, the New York Post learned that O’Neill doesn’t have cancer. The rumor gaining steam on Facebook is fake.
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“There are some fake Facebook posts (and who knows what else) circulating, stating that Paul O’Neill has cancer,” said Eric Handler, the vice president of communications for YES Network. “I just spoke with Paul. He DOES NOT have cancer!”
O’Neill, 62, has not yet released a statement on this matter. We’d have to imagine this is a frustrating situation for him and his loved ones.
This story was originally published by The Spun on Nov 26, 2025, where it first appeared in the MLB section. Add The Spun as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
