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By Marni Rose McFall
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The 2025 NFL season is set to kick off in September, but social media is already full of discourse before the first game has been played amid a backlash over the presence of male cheerleaders.
Newsweek has contacted teams with male cheerleaders for comment via email and online contact form outside regular working hours.
Why It Matters
Male cheerleaders are not new. Cheerleading began as a male-dominated activity in the late 19th century. In the 1950s and 1960s, the NFL began to adopt all-female dance-style squads, which quickly became the dominant model. However, in 2018, the Los Angeles Rams and New Orleans Saints introduced dancing male cheerleaders, sparking a culture shift that more teams have since followed.
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In recent years, the NFL has become a flash point for online culture wars as sports fans and social media users have criticized it for being too "woke." The organization has faced online fallouts over its Super Bowl halftime show, the use of pride flags and the performance of "Lift Every Voice and Sing," a hymn often referred to as the Black national anthem. Two new male cheerleaders on the Minnesota Vikings has sparked similar criticism.
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What To Know
NFL teams have seen waves of criticism on social media in response to their inclusion of male cheerleaders on their squads.
According to posts shared on their social media accounts, the following teams have male cheerleaders this season:
- Baltimore Ravens
- Los Angeles Rams
- Minnesota Vikings
- New England Patriots
- New Orleans Saints
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Tennessee Titans
- San Francisco 49ers
- Philadelphia Eagles
- Washington Commanders
- Seattle Seahawks
The Minnesota Vikings responded to the criticism in an email shared with Newsweek on August 15.
"While many fans may be seeing male cheerleaders for the first time at Vikings games, male cheerleaders have been part of previous Vikings teams and have long been associated with collegiate and professional cheerleading," the statement said in part.
Male cheerleaders have also long had a presence in popular culture. The 2000 film Bring It On, which features high school cheerleading competitions, shows male cheerleaders on multiple squads. TV shows such as One Tree Hill, Heroes and Glee—which take place in academic environments—also feature male cheerleaders.
Though the backlash has been loud and pronounced online, many have offered messages of support for the cheerleaders, highlighting that male cheerleaders have long participated in the sport.
What People Are Saying
The Minnesota Vikings said in an email shared with Newsweek: "In 2025, approximately one third of NFL teams have male cheerleaders. Every member of the Minnesota Vikings Cheerleaders program has an impressive dance background and went through the same rigorous audition process. Individuals were selected because of their talent, passion for dance and dedication to elevating the game day experience. We support all our cheerleaders and are proud of the role they play as ambassadors of the organization."
USA Cheer, the United States' governing body for sport cheering told Newsweek: "Whenever traditions evolve, there can be mixed reactions, but the presence of men in cheerleading and dance is not new. Men have long contributed to the sport's strength, creativity, and athleticism. Cheerleading and dance are inclusive activities that thrive on teamwork and diversity, and we support organizations as they determine what makes sense for their athletes, audiences, and communities."
Author Zach W. Lambert wrote in an X post viewed 1.2 million times: "Elephants are born weighing 250 pounds. They are the biggest babies on earth, except for the people mad about male cheerleaders in the NFL."
Charlie Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, wrote in an X post viewed 670,000 times: "The whole country is resisting this type of BS, yet the @NFL continues their war on their fans. This isn't 2020."
User @AriDrennen wrote in an X post viewed 1.2 million times: "Note how the rainbow panic has moved on from telling people they can't change their sex to telling people that they can't enjoy and excel at activities associated with another sex."
Tomi Lahren, a conservative political commentator, wrote in a post viewed 2.8 million times: "I'm sorry, but I don't get the outrage over the male cheerleaders. Who cares? At least they're not pretending to be girls. Male cheerleaders are not a new thing. Oh well. It's not necessary for conservatives to be outraged over absolutely everything. It's inconsequential."
Actor Kevin Sorbo wrote in an X post viewed 53 million times: "I've been a Vikings fan all my life... sigh. I need a new team now."
What Happens Next
The NFL season kicks off on September 4.
Update 08/21/25, 3:55 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with comment from USA Cheer.
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