National Football League Cheerleading, or simply NFL Cheerleading, is a professional cheerleading league in the United States. Twenty six 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. For the NFL, the Baltimore Colts were the first team in the NFL to have cheerleaders in 1954. They were also a part of the Baltimore Colts Marching Band. Currently, six NFL teams have no cheerleaders.
According to most NFL cheerleading sites, cheerleading is classified as a part-time job that consists of time for practice, training camp, games, appearances, photo shoots, and charity events.
Most often, cheerleaders have completed or are attending a university, and continue on to other careers after cheering for an average of one to four seasons.
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. All performances and tours are 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 Angela King-Twitero 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.
As of 2006, a competition strictly for NFL cheerleaders was introduced on The NFL Network, called NFL Cheerleader Playoffs. Two cheerleaders from each cheerleading team compete against other mini-teams in various athletic events. This includes kayaking, 100 yard dash, obstacle courses, and other events.
A top honor for an NFL Cheerleader is to be selected as 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. Choreography by John Peters.
Listed by name, with corresponding NFL football team.
| Current or Last Name | Year Established and Former Names | NFL Team |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona Cardinals Cheerleaders | 1977–1987 St Louis Cardinals Cheerleaders 1988–1993 Phoenix Cardinals Cheerleaders 1994–present Arizona Cardinals Cheerleaders |
Arizona Cardinals |
| Atlanta Falcons Cheerleaders | 1960s The Falconettes 1976–present |
Atlanta Falcons |
| Baltimore Ravens Cheerleaders* | 1998 | Baltimore Ravens |
| Buffalo Jills | 1960–1965 Buffalo Bills Cheerleaders 1967–present |
Buffalo Bills |
| Carolina Topcats | 1996 | Carolina Panthers |
| Chicago Honey Bears[1] | 1976–1985 1986–present none |
Chicago Bears |
| Cincinnati Ben-Gals[2] | 1976 | Cincinnati Bengals |
| none | Cleveland Browns | |
| Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders | 1960s–1971 CowBelles & Beaux, 1972–present [3] |
Dallas Cowboys |
| Denver Broncos Cheerleaders | 1977 | Denver Broncos |
| none | Detroit Lions | |
| Green Bay Packers cheerleaders | late 1950s–1961 Packerettes 1961–1972 Golden Girls 1973–1977 Packerettes [4][5] 1977–1986 Sideliners [6] 1987–2006 none 2007–present college cheerleaders |
Green Bay Packers |
| Houston Texans Cheerleaders | 2002 | Houston Texans |
| Indianapolis Colts Cheerleaders | 1954–1983 Baltimore Colts Cheerleaders 1984–present |
Indianapolis Colts |
| Jacksonville ROAR | 1995 | Jacksonville Jaguars |
| Kansas City Chiefs Cheerleaders | 1960s Chiefs Cheerleaders 1970s Chiefettes 1980s – present Chiefs Cheerleaders[7] |
Kansas City Chiefs |
| Miami Dolphins Cheerleaders[8] | 1966–1977 Dolphin Dolls 1978–early 1980s Dolphin Starbrites early 1980s Dolfin Star Brites 1983–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 |
| Patriots Cheerleaders | 1977 | New England Patriots |
| New Orleans Saintsations | Angels Bonnes Amiees Saints Dancers Mam’selles 1977 Saintsations |
New Orleans Saints |
| none | New York Giants | |
| Jets Flight Crew | 2006 Jets Flag Crew 2007–present Jets Flight Crew |
New York Jets |
| Oakland Raiderettes | 1961[9] | Oakland Raiders |
| Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleaders | 1948–1960s Eaglettes 1970s Liberty Belles 1980s–present The Eagles Cheerleaders |
Philadelphia Eagles |
| none | 1960–1969 Pittsburgh Steelerettes amateurs 1970–present none[10] |
Pittsburgh Steelers |
| St. Louis Rams Cheerleaders | 1974–1994 Embraceable Ewes 1995–present St. Louis Rams Cheerleaders |
St. Louis Rams |
| San Diego Charger Girls | 1990[11] | San Diego Chargers |
| San Francisco Gold Rush | 1979 (as a coed squad before becoming an all-girl squad in 1983[12] | San Francisco 49ers |
| Seattle Sea Gals | 1976[13] | Seattle Seahawks |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers Cheerleaders |
1976–1998 SwashBucklers 1999–present Tampa Bay Buccaneers Cheerleaders[14] |
Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| Tennessee Titans Cheerleaders | 1975–1999 The Derrick Dolls 2000–present |
Tennessee Titans |
| Washington Redskins Cheerleaders | 1962 Redskinettes currently: Washington Redskins Cheerleaders[15] |
Washington Redskins |
* Ravens Cheerleading Squad is technically a Co-ed Stunt and All-Female Dance squad.
As of 2011, the only teams without cheerleaders are the Chicago Bears, Cleveland Browns, New York Giants, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, and the Pittsburgh Steelers. The February 2011 meeting of the Packers and Steelers at Super Bowl XLV was the first time a Super Bowl featured no cheerleaders.[16]
Each year, one squad member from every NFL team is chosen to participate in the collective Pro Bowl cheerleading squad. Traditionally, this is the highest honor of talent and popularity an NFL cheerleader can receive. The Pro Bowl Cheerleaders were founded in 1992 and directed by Jay Howarth and Angela King-Twitero, choreographed by John Peters.