NFL Cheerleading

National Football League Cheerleading, or simply NFL Cheerleading, is a professional cheerleading organization in the United States. 26 of the 32 NFL teams include a cheerleading squad in their franchise. Cheerleaders are a popular attraction that can give a team more coverage/airtime, popular local support, and increased media image. In 1954, the Baltimore Colts became the first NFL team to have cheerleaders. They were part of the Baltimore Colts Marching Band.

Most NFL cheerleading squads are a part-time job. Often, cheerleaders have completed or are attending a university, and continue on to other careers after cheering for one to four seasons. The members participate in practice, training camp, games, appearances, photo shoots, and charity events. Apart from their main duties of cheering during the football games, the cheerleaders have many other responsibilities. Nearly every team member is available for appearances at schools, events, conferences, etc., for a set fee.

An anticipated annual event is the release of each squad's calendar, featuring members for each month in swimsuits, lingerie, or uniforms.

As well as being a mainstay of American football culture, the cheerleaders are one of the biggest entertainment groups to regularly perform for the United States Armed Forces overseas with performances and tours being enlisted by the USO. Teams send their variety show, an elite group of their best members, to perform combination shows of dance, music, baton twirling, acrobatics, gymnastics, and more. In February 2007, the Buffalo Bills even sent a squad of eight along with their choreographer into the war zone of Iraq. In 1996, the San Francisco 49ers Cheerleaders and their director helicoptered into the war inflicted country of Bosnia with the USO and the U.S. Army. The U.S. troops in Korea have been entertained during the holiday season with the USO's Bob Hope Tour. Over the years, the tour has featured NFL cheerleaders from the Dallas Cowboys and the San Francisco 49ers.

Cheerleader competitions

The first "Battle of the NFL Cheerleaders" was held in 1979 in Hollywood, Florida. Two cheerleaders from each cheerleading team compete against other mini-teams in various athletic events. The events include kayaking, 100 yard dash, obstacle courses, and other events. The Minnesota Vikings Cheerleaders took home the title in 1979. In 1980, it was held in Atlantic City, New Jersey and the Washington Redskinettes were the champions. The winners were Shiona Baum and Jeannie Fritz, and each received a car as the grand prize. The competition was resurrected in 2006 by the NFL Network, and was called NFL Cheerleader Playoffs. The playoffs were taped between July 17 and July 21, 2006 at Six Flags New England in Agawam, Massachusetts. Two-person teams of cheerleaders from 25 of the NFL's 32 teams participated in a four-event series of competitions. The first two events tested the cheerleaders' athletic abilities in events like the 100-yard dash, kayaking, tandem cycling, and the obstacle course. The third event was a trivia challenge called "Know Your NFL." The final competition was a one-minute dance routine, similar to what they normally perform on NFL sidelines. The San Diego Chargers team (Casie and Shantel) defeated the Atlanta Falcons and St. Louis Rams squads to win the overall championship. The 3 teams finished in a three-way tie, with 210 points. The Chargers were declared the winners based on winning the dance competition.

Teams

Listed by name, with corresponding NFL football team.

Current or Last Name	Year Established and Former Names	NFL Team
Arizona Cardinals Cheerleaders	1964–1987 St. Louis Cardinals Cheerleaders 1988–1993 Phoenix Cardinals Cheerleaders 1994–present Arizona Cardinals Cheerleaders	Arizona Cardinals
Atlanta Falcons Cheerleaders	1969–1976 The Falconettes 1976–present Atlanta Falcons Cheerleaders	Atlanta Falcons
Baltimore Ravens Cheerleaders	1998–present	Baltimore Ravens
Buffalo Jills	1960–1965 Buffalo Bills Cheerleaders 1966–2013 Buffalo Jills	Buffalo Bills
Carolina Topcats	1995–present	Carolina Panthers
Chicago Honey Bears	1976–1985	Chicago Bears
Cincinnati Ben–Gals	1976–present	Cincinnati Bengals
Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders	1962–1971 CowBelles & Beaux 1972–present Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders	Dallas Cowboys
Denver Broncos Cheerleaders	1971–1976 Bronco Belles 1977–1980 Pony Express 1993–present Denver Broncos Cheerleaders	Denver Broncos
Detroit Lions Cheerleaders	1963-1972 2016–present Detroit Lions Cheerleaders	Detroit Lions
Green Bay Packers Cheerleaders	1957–1961 Packerettes 1961–1972 Golden Girls 1973–1977 Packerettes 1977–1986 Sideliners 1987–2006 University of Wisconsin–Green Bay cheerleaders 2007–present UWGB and St. Norbert College cheerleaders	Green Bay Packers
Houston Texans Cheerleaders	2002–present	Houston Texans
Indianapolis Colts Cheerleaders	1954–1983 Baltimore Colts Cheerleaders 1984–present Indianapolis Colts Cheerleaders	Indianapolis Colts
Jacksonville ROAR	1995–present	Jacksonville Jaguars
Kansas City Chiefs Cheerleaders	1964 Chiefs Cheerleaders 1971-85 Chiefettes 1986–present Chiefs Cheerleaders	Kansas City Chiefs
Los Angeles Rams Cheerleaders	1974–1994 Embraceable Ewes 1995–2015 St. Louis Rams Cheerleaders 2016–present Los Angeles Rams Cheerleaders	Los Angeles Rams
Miami Dolphins Cheerleaders	1966–1977 Dolphin Dolls 1978–1983 Dolphins Starbrites 1984–present Miami Dolphins Cheerleaders	Miami Dolphins
Minnesota Vikings Cheerleaders	1961–1963 Vi-Queens 1964–1983 The Parkettes (St. Louis Park High School) 1984–present Minnesota Vikings Cheerleaders	Minnesota Vikings
New England Patriots Cheerleaders	1977–present	New England Patriots
New Orleans Saintsations	1967 Louisiannes/Saints Dancers 1968 Mademoiselles 1971 Mam’selles 1975–78 Bonnies Amies 1978 Angels 1987–present Saintsations	New Orleans Saints
New York Jets Flight Crew	2006 Jets Flag Crew 2007–present Jets Flight Crew	New York Jets
Oakland Raiderettes	1961–present	Oakland Raiders
Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleaders	1948–1970s Eaglettes 1970s Liberty Belles 1980s–present The Eagles Cheerleaders	Philadelphia Eagles
Pittsburgh Steelerettes	1960–1969	Pittsburgh Steelers
San Diego Charger Girls	1960s–70s Chargettes 1990–present Charger Girls	San Diego Chargers
San Francisco Gold Rush	1979–present	San Francisco 49ers
Seattle Sea Gals	1976–present	Seattle Seahawks
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Cheerleaders	1976–1998 SwashBucklers 1999–present Tampa Bay Buccaneers Cheerleaders	Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tennessee Titans Cheerleaders	1975–1997 The Derrick Dolls 1998–present Tennessee Titans Cheerleaders	Tennessee Titans
Washington Redskins Cheerleaders	1962 Redskinettes 1963–present Washington Redskins Cheerleaders	Washington Redskins

Teams without cheerleaders

The Packers collegiate squad in 2009

As of 2016, six teams do not have cheerleading squads: Buffalo Bills, Chicago Bears, Cleveland Browns, Green Bay Packers, New York Giants, and the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Packers do, however, use a collegiate squad to cheer at home games. Super Bowl XLV between the Steelers and the Packers in February 2011 was the first time a Super Bowl featured no cheerleaders. The Browns and the Giants are the only NFL teams that have never had cheerleaders, while the other aforementioned teams have had cheer squads in the past.

The Buffalo Bills endorsed the officially independent Buffalo Jills from 1966 to 2013; when several cheerleaders sued both the Jills and the Bills organizations, the Jills suspended operations.

Teams of "unofficial" cheerleaders began emerging in 2010 for NFL teams that don't have their own dance squad. These unofficial cheerleaders aren't sanctioned by the NFL or any franchise in the NFL and therefore are not allowed to perform at games, represent the football team at any outside functions, or use any of the team's branding or trademarked colors on their uniforms. The teams are sponsored by local businesses, and the cheerleaders perform prior to the game, at tailgate parties, and other local events. Some also attend the local NFL games in uniform, and sit together in their block of season ticket seats. Their audition process, costuming, and choreography are very similar to official NFL cheer teams. Some also produce an annual swimsuit calendar, just like the legitimate cheerleaders. All of the independent teams hope at some point to be embraced by the NFL as "official" cheerleaders of their local teams.

• The Detroit Pride Cheerleaders were the first independent professional team, put together in August 2010 to support the Lions. However, as the squad was not officially recognized by the Lions, it could not use the Lions' logos nor colors. In 2016, the Lions started an official cheerleading squad.
• The Gotham City Cheerleaders were organized in August 2011 to support all New York sports, but are most closely associated with the Giants. The team has also been known as the New York Unofficials, the Unofficial Dancers of the New York Giants, and the Gotham’s Team Blue Army Dancers.
• The Cleveland Spirit Cheerleaders were created in September 2012 to support the Browns as a test team to attract fan interest. This cheer team was created by the same people responsible for the Detroit Pride.

Pro Bowl

A top honor for an NFL Cheerleader is to be selected as a Pro Bowl Cheerleader. The group is composed of an all-star cheerleader (one from each NFL cheer team) that represents her NFL team at the Pro Bowl in Hawaii. The Pro Bowl Cheerleaders were founded in 1992 and directed by Jay Howarth and Angela King-Twitero. Each year, one squad member from every NFL team is chosen to participate in the collective Pro Bowl cheerleading squad.

See also

• List of cheerleaders
• National Basketball Association Cheerleading