In 1954, the Baltimore Colts became the first NFL team to have its own cheerleaders, and other teams quickly followed suit. Now, cheerleaders have become synonymous with football, and cheerleading squads have come a long way since then.
How does one get hired as an NFL cheerleader? How much do they get paid?
Here’s everything you need to know about the life of an NFL cheerleader.
How Much Do Cheerleaders Make?
With the NFL being a billion-dollar industry and just simply a big moneymaker, you would assume cheerleaders get paid well. If NFL owners line their pockets with their riches while players sign multi-million dollar contracts, cheerleaders must make a fortune, right?
Nope. According to multiple sources, NFL cheerleaders make an average of $150 per game and roughly $50 to $75 per appearance. Yes, you read that right.
However, while the average pay isn’t high, the leader of the cheerleading team can make significantly more money, as that role can pay as much as $75,000 per year. Unfortunately, though, most cheerleaders have to work a second job in order to pay their bills.
On the bright side, some NFL franchises pay their cheerleaders better than others. For example, the Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings, New England Patriots, and Philadelphia Eagles pay their cheerleaders between $15 per hour and $20 per hour and $500 per game.
Why Is the Compensation So Low?
To start, cheerleaders are independent contractors; NFL teams are not required to pay them as salaried employees. For comparison, the average cheerleader makes significantly less money than an NFL waterboy or team mascot.
The waterboy is a full-time position, working 40 hours weekly during an NFL season. Teams could also have multiple waterboys to handle the duties for practices and games.
The typical salary of an NFL waterboy is between $50,000 to $60,000 per year. However, there are some cases where waterboys do not get paid but instead receive internships for their high school or college.
When you compare that with a cheerleader, it can be a quite surprising salary gap.
What Do Cheerleaders Do To Prepare for the Season?
In terms of time, cheerleaders devote 30-40 hours per week to cheerleading practice. In some many cases, cheerleaders spend hours in the gym to get in peak physical condition for the season. Others even work as gym instructors when they are not cheerleading.
Denver Broncos Cheerleaders getting you ready for football season with a choreographed dance to my song, CAMILA-LALALA 💃🏿🏈
#choreography #choreographer #dancevideo #dancing #hiphopdance #hiphopchoreo #cheer #cheerleading #nfl #denverbroncos #broncos #footballseason pic.twitter.com/qSs9dHBSOv
— Joseph Capalbo (@CapalboMusic) August 14, 2023
It’s also important to note that cheerleading is highly competitive, and the NFL only takes the best of the best. It isn’t all glitz and glamour as many think it is. Plenty of work goes into performing on an NFL football field, more than the public will ever know.
While they are paid for gamedays and public appearances, they typically aren’t compensated for the hours spent preparing or training behind the scenes.
Additionally, image is everything for NFL cheerleaders. Most must adhere to strict weight programs and focus on appearance, including manicured nails and styled hair.
What Is the Role of an NFL Cheerleader?
Obviously, NFL cheerleaders cheer on their team — hence the name. They also get the crowd hyped and excited and get them into the game.
Additionally, cheerleaders often perform various choreographed routines.
KEEP READING: Who Are the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders?
The schedule of an NFL cheerleader can be grueling, especially with a growing, long season.
Cheerleaders can spend all day at the stadium for every game, meaning many cheerleaders must spend time away from their families during holidays such as Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Can Cheerleaders Cheer for More Than One Sports Team?
Yes. Since cheerleaders are independent contractors, they are not full-time employees. Many NFL cheerleaders will also cheer for another sports team during the NFL offseason.
The same cheerleaders you see on the football field could be in an NBA arena later in the year.
Chiefs vs. Eagles Super Bowl Preview
Based on PFN’s win probability model, which ran 10,000 simulations via the PFN Playoff Predictor, the Eagles have a 52.8% chance of defeating the Chiefs.
The Chiefs are aiming to become the first team in NFL history to win three straight Super Bowls. Kansas City has won three of the last five Super Bowls and will be the first NFL team to play in five Super Bowls over a six-season span.
This is Philadelphia’s third Super Bowl appearance in the last eight seasons. The Eagles defeated the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LII and lost to the Chiefs two seasons ago in Super Bowl LVII.
Kansas City Chiefs Trends and Insights
- The Chiefs have 17 straight one-score wins (12-0 this season, their last three playoff games last year, and their last two regular season games). Twelve one-score wins is the most in a single season all-time, tied with the 2022 Vikings, 2019 Seahawks, and 2015 Broncos.
- Patrick Mahomes passed Joe Montana for the second-most playoff wins by a starting quarterback (17) and John Elway for the second-most playoff game-winning drives by a quarterback (seven).
- From 2019-24, the Chiefs have made six Super Bowl appearances, are chasing a fourth title, and have won 78% of their regular season games. For reference, the Splash Brother Golden State Warriors (2015-19, 2022) made six NBA Finals appearances with four titles and won 76.2% of their regular season games.
- The Chiefs have averaged over 2.5 points per offensive drive in four straight games when playing their regulars – that’s a good formula, as NFL teams have won 78.9% of their games this season when clearing 2.50 PPD.
- During his career, Mahomes has averaged 3.9 carries for 20 yards and 0.13 touchdowns on the ground during the regular season. In the postseason, those rates elevated to 5.4 attempts, 29.1 yards, and 0.35 touchdowns per game.
Philadelphia Eagles Trends and Insights
- The Eagles peaked early last season and scored 155 points over a five-game win streak (Weeks 7-12). Over their past five games, they’ve scored 166 points.
- Jalen Hurts ran for three scores in his prior Super Bowl experience, joining Terrell Davis as the only player to do that in The Big Game. With his three rushing scores on Sunday, Hurts joined LeGarrette Blount as the only players in NFL history with multiple playoff games in which they ran for three-plus touchdowns.
- Philadelphia has forced 19 turnovers in their past six games, a run that includes four games with three-plus.
- The Eagles became the sixth team to have multiple players rush for multiple scores in a playoff game, the first since Rex Burkhead and Sony Michel did it for the 2018 Patriots.
- Since 2022, the Eagles are 18-8 ATS (69.2%) when facing a team that enters play with at least as many wins as losses (second best, trailing only the 20-6-1 Lions).
- Hurts will become the eighth quarterback to start multiple Super Bowls within his first eight seasons. Of the previous seven, only Elway failed to secure a ring within his first five seasons—though Elway would famously cap off his career with Super Bowl victories in his final two seasons.