Rep. Paul Ryan looked a little different as the 114th Congress kicked off Tuesday: The Wisconsin Republican congressman is sporting facial hair.
Ryan told reporters it started out as a "hunting beard" and has now transitioned into a "playoff beard" for his beloved Green Bay Packers. The Packers are slated to take on the Dallas Cowboys Sunday in the second round of the NFL playoffs.
Monday night, one reporter joked that the former Republican vice presidential nominee should make some sort of bet with New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie — a die-hard Cowboys fan who garnered a lot of attention this past weekend for hugging owner Jerry Jones — on Sunday's game.
But Ryan simply replied with a laugh: "Come on."
So many folks have a fascination with Ryan's new chin fuzz that it now even has its own Twitter handle: @PaulRyansBeard. And hey, if the Packers keep winning, perhaps the beard will stay on through the Super Bowl on February 1st.
(NBC News)
