Behind The Scenes Of Being An NFL Cheerleader
Moving and shaking do not bring home the bacon.
Photo: Instagram.com/denverbroncoscheer
(Podcast length 4:43 mins)
Like most jobs, it’s not all it’s cracked up to be.
1. If you become an NFL (National Football League) cheerleader, you're not doing it for the money. On average, they make the same amount as the lifeguard at the community pool. They put in 30-40 hour weeks during the season with practices, appearances and games. For the most part, they do not receive reimbursement for money spent maintaining their team-defined appearance. (Think coloring their hair, uniforms, makeup, etc.).
According to NBC, on average, NFL cheerleaders earn about $150 per game or $22,500 per year. Meanwhile, NFL waterboys usually make $53,000 annually, and NFL mascots make $25,000 per season. TIME FOR A SIDE HUSTLE
2. There are seven NFL teams without cheerleaders - Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns, Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, LA Chargers, New York Giants, and the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Los Angeles Rams broke down barriers in 2019 with the first male cheerleaders at Super Bowl. The Panthers TopCats, the name of the Panthers cheerleading squad, made history by hiring Justine Lindsay, the NFL's first openly trans cheerleader, in 2022. SHARING THE SIDELINE
3. The NFL's most famous pom-pom-wielding gals, the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders, have a vigorous application process that includes a written test. Past questions have included "who won the Super Bowl last year," "name five former U.S. presidents," or "how many yards are assessed for a personal foul penalty?" A few years back, ESPN talked 12 Cowboys players into taking the test and…they failed. BRAINS AND BEAUTY
4. The cheerleaders must maintain a particular look (see above) because if they don't, they can be benched without pay for violating their contract. Some team cheer coaches conduct "jiggle tests" to assess the firmness of the cheerleader's bodies during the season, and if they don't pass the test, they're benched. Others have a height-to-weight ratio requirement to ensure the cheerleaders do not become too skinny. (NOT) BODY POSITIVE
5. In 2021, teams like the Buffalo Bills and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, to name a few, were sued by their cheerleaders for wage theft, unsafe working conditions, sexual harassment and discrimination. Ten out of 26 teams were sued by their cheerleaders, who are deemed independent contractors. Some teams have settled, but in the case of the Buffalo Bills, they disbanded their cheer squad altogether.
The Dallas Cowboys and Carolina Panthers are an anomaly, with both teams paying their cheerleaders around $75,000 a year. STEP IT UP
Sports Curious, presented by Last Night's Game, is here to take the awkward out of the conversation and help you join the sports conversation, even if you don't know the first thing about sports. We break down what's happening in sports in an easy-to-understand, fun way without all of the statistics and jargon, so you never have to exit stage left when the chatter at the office, dinner table or networking event switches to sports.
You can always catch us between podcasts at www.lastnightsgame.com or on social media. If you love us, make sure to leave us a review wherever you listen to your podcasts.
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The Strangest Mascots In College Sports
They rally the crowd and scare the children (and sometimes adults).
Photo: Instagram/goshockers.wushock
(Podcast length 4:07 mins)
Add these mascots to the list of things that make you go hmm.
Scan to the bottom for images of these gems.
1. Replacing its Indian mascot in the 2000s, a student vote led to Dartmouth's unofficial mascot, "Keggy the Keg." The barrel of booze may be a fan favorite, but the Dartmouth administration also isn't very fond of Keggy. Sadly the school isn't very good at sports, so the rest of the world doesn't get to join in on the fun that is Keggy in the stands. TAP THAT
2. Wake Forest is known as the Demon Deacons. The odd mascot is an older man in a top hat and tails and is a byproduct of a frat boy facing a challenge from his peers. The aforementioned frat brother accepted the challenge of creating and becoming a mascot as a dare from a fellow frat brother. No one expected the joke to become a reality, much less that it would stick around as a vital piece of the institution. BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU ASK FOR
3. Wichita State University is known as the shockers. (Yes, you read that correctly). The nickname was created because many of the players worked in the off-season harvesting (aka shocking) wheat in the fields. LEARN SOMETHING NEW EVERY DAY
4. Kernel Cobb is the mascot for the Concordia College Cobbers. The liberal arts school based in Minnesota describes its mascot as a "snarly, though friendly" ear of corn. Long story short, in the 1890s, the term 'corncobs’ was initially used as a slur by their urbanite rival and was later adopted as the school's mascot. WE'RE ALL EARS
5. Stop us if you’ve heard this one about Speedy the Geoduck. The mascot of Evergreen State College, an experimental and non-traditional college in Washington State, is a symbol of environmental sustainability. Geoducks, a kind of mollusk, filter 30 gallons of water daily and are integral to the pacific northwest ecosystem. SOUNDS LIKE DINNER
Honorable mention: Artie the Artichoke, the official mascot of Scottsdale Community College in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Sports Curious, presented by Last Night's Game, is here to take the awkward out of the conversation and help you join the sports conversation, even if you don't know the first thing about sports. We break down what's happening in sports in an easy-to-understand, fun way without all of the statistics and jargon, so you never have to exit stage left when the chatter at the office, dinner table or networking event switches to sports.
You can always catch us between podcasts at www.lastnightsgame.com or on social media. If you love us, make sure to leave us a review wherever you listen to your podcasts.
LIKE US? SHARE US WITH YOUR FRIENDS.