If you’re a football fan, you’ve probably seen the cheerleaders performing on the sidelines during National Football League. With their energetic dances, cool uniforms, and impressive stunts, they help get the crowd excited and cheering for their team. But have you ever wondered how many NFL teams actually have their own cheerleading squads?
The answer might surprise you – out of the 32 teams in the National Football League, 24 of them have official cheerleading squads!
List of NFL Cheerleader Teams
Here is a list of the 26 NFL teams, along with the name of their cheerleading team:
- Arizona Cardinals – Arizona Cardinals Cheerleaders
- Atlanta Falcons – Atlanta Falcons Cheerleaders
- Baltimore Ravens – Baltimore Ravens Cheerleaders
- Carolina Panthers – Carolina Panthers Cheerleaders
- Chicago Bears – Chicago Bears Cheerleaders
- Cincinnati Bengals – Ben-Gals
- Dallas Cowboys – Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders
- Denver Broncos – Denver Broncos Cheerleaders
- Houston Texans – Houston Texans Cheerleaders
- Indianapolis Colts – Indianapolis Colts Cheerleaders
- Jacksonville Jaguars – ROAR of the Jaguars
- Kansas City Chiefs – Kansas City Chiefs Cheerleaders
- Las Vegas Raiders – Las Vegas Raiders Cheerleaders
- Los Angeles Rams – Rams Cheerleaders
- Miami Dolphins – Miami Dolphins Cheerleaders
- Minnesota Vikings – Minnesota Vikings Cheerleaders
- New England Patriots – New England Patriots Cheerleaders
- New Orleans Saints – Saintsations
- Philadelphia Eagles – Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleaders
- San Francisco 49ers – 49ers Gold Rush
- Seattle Seahawks – Sea Gals
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Tampa Bay Cheerleaders
- Tennessee Titans – Tennessee Titans Cheerleaders
- Washington Commanders – First Ladies of Football
Who were the first NFL Cheerleaders?
The Baltimore Colts were a football team. In 1954, they were the first team in the NFL (National Football League) to have cheerleaders. This was an important event in history because it started cheerleading in the NFL. After the Baltimore Colts had cheerleaders, many other NFL teams decided to have their own cheerleading squads too. Cheerleading became a big part of NFL games and culture over the years.
NFL teams that don’t have cheerleaders
Can you imagine a football game without cheerleaders cheering for their team? Well, in the National Football League (NFL), there are some teams that don’t have cheerleading squads. Let’s take a look at which teams these are!
The NFL teams that don’t have cheerleaders are:
- Buffalo Bills
- Chicago Bears
- Cleveland Browns
- Green Bay Packers
- Los Angeles Chargers
- New York Giants
- New York Jets
- Pittsburgh Steelers
That’s right, there are eight teams in the NFL that don’t have cheerleaders on the sidelines during their games. Some of these teams have never had cheerleaders, like the Cleveland Browns and the New York Giants.
The Green Bay Packers do things a bit differently. They don’t have an official cheerleading squad, but they have a group of college students who perform during the games. These students are from different colleges and universities in Wisconsin.
So, while most NFL teams have cheerleaders to pump up the crowd and support their team, these eight teams have chosen not to have them. Instead, they rely on their loyal fans to create an energetic and exciting atmosphere during the games.
Why Some NFL Teams Don’t Have Cheerleaders?
It’s a question that many football fans have asked, and there are a few interesting reasons behind it.
First, let’s talk about team traditions. Some teams, like the New York Giants and the Cleveland Browns, have never had cheerleaders. It’s just not a part of their team’s history or identity. They’ve always focused on the players and the game itself, and that’s how they like it.
Other teams might believe that cheerleaders can be a distraction from the football game. The Green Bay Packers, for example, don’t have an official cheerleading squad. Instead, they have a group of college students from different universities in Wisconsin who perform during the games. The Packers want the fans to focus on the players and the action on the field.
Another reason some teams don’t have cheerleaders is because of the weather. Teams that play in very cold climates might find it impractical to have cheerleaders performing outside in skimpy outfits for most of the season. It’s just too cold!
Additionally, there’s a growing conversation about whether cheerleading is objectifying and if it reinforces traditional gender roles. Some people believe that cheerleading is outdated and promotes the idea that women are there to look pretty and support the men playing the game. This is something that some teams might be considering.
Finally, there are legal and financial considerations. Legal issues have also caused some franchises to rethink their cheerleading programs. Most notably, the Bills cheerleaders filed a high-profile lawsuit over wage theft and exploitative working conditions. Wanting to avoid similar legal headaches could make some teams hesitant about managing cheerleaders.
So, while some teams love having cheerleaders on the sidelines to get the fans excited and pumped up, other teams have chosen not to have them for various reasons. Whether a team has cheerleaders or not, the most important thing is that they play their best on the field and their fans support them wholeheartedly.
In our recent article titled “How Much Do NFL Cheerleaders Make?“, explains pay and income of these professional cheerleaders.