Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Secure 400% Pay Raise After Years of Underpayment
After decades of performing for one of the NFL’s most iconic franchises, the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders have finally scored a major win off the field. The team secured a 400% pay raise, a development revealed in the season finale of “America’s Sweethearts,” Netflix’s hit docuseries chronicling the cheerleaders’ journey from auditions to the end of the NFL season.
For years, the dancers have performed under glaring lights and intense scrutiny while earning far less than their contributions merit. Season 2 of the show, which premiered Wednesday, puts their fight for fair compensation front and center, shining a national spotlight on longstanding wage disparities in professional cheerleading.
Tad Carper, senior vice president of communications for the Cowboys, said in a statement, “We’re pleased, as you’ll see in the series, that the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders were happy with the outcome.” However, neither the show nor the team has disclosed specific dollar salary figures, past or present.
The cheerleading squad’s director, Kelli Finglass, expressed her support for the women’s efforts to negotiate higher wages and described the changes as “60-plus years long overdue.”
While official pay rates remain under wraps, former cheerleader Jada McLean, who spearheaded the push for better wages, told The New York Times that she previously earned $15 an hour and $500 per appearance based on tenure. After the raise, seasoned cheerleaders could earn upwards of $75 per hour. McLean retired from the team after last season.
“We are more than just cheerleaders. We’re talented, strong, educated women, and we’re hard-working athletes who deserve to be seen as such.”
This major shift in pay structure comes on the heels of swelling public support. Viewers of the show’s debut season flooded social media with outrage over the low wages, asking how such a physically demanding and high-profile job could offer such a minimal financial reward.
The Cowboys cheerleaders, like those of many teams across the NFL, have long faced criticism over their compensation. Despite their status as brand ambassadors, performers, and athletes, they’ve historically received only modest pay for rehearsals, games, and promotional events. Many cheerleaders hold other full-time jobs to make ends meet, a challenge that is explored in depth in Season 2 of the show.
The wage fight isn’t new. In 2018, former cheerleader Erica Wilkins filed a class-action lawsuit against the Cowboys, which led to a modest increase in wages in 2019, from $8 to $12 per hour and from $200 to $400 per game. Her suit highlighted cases where cheerleaders earned less than minimum wage and even less than the team’s mascot.
In Season 1, ex-member Kat Puryear likened her earnings to those of a full-time Chick-fil-A worker, a stark contrast to NFL players who make millions. The show’s latest season follows returning fan favorites, some of whom leveraged viral fame into influencer gigs. But for most, the reality of juggling side jobs while dancing remained grueling. Cheerleader Kylie Dickson shared during one episode how public support helped the cheerleaders push for better pay.
“We got our contracts and probably wrongly assumed that it maybe would have been different, just because of everything that was on TV. The world was kind of telling us, ‘Girls, fight for more.’”
Throughout the season, the team meets with franchise leadership in hopes of negotiating better terms. But when their 2024–25 contracts arrive without any changes, disappointment sets in. The momentum stalls until the final episode.
That’s when cheerleader Megan McElaney shares the good news that the raises have finally been approved. For McElaney, the increase was enough to convince her to return for another season. “Dancers are athletes,” she said in the final episode, “They have so much value.”
“Happy isn’t even the right word for it. It kind of felt like a relief, like everything had paid off. Finally, we were done fighting.”
Veteran dancer Armani Latimer, who helped push for higher wages, isn’t returning next season. “I love the fact that I made change for the girls that are coming up behind me, even if I’m not getting a chance to benefit,” she said.
Despite progress, some leaders framed their work as a passion project over a paycheck. Cowboys executive vice president Charlotte Jones stated in an episode, “There’s a lot of cynicism around pay for NFL cheerleaders, as it should be.”
“They’re not paid a lot. But the facts are they actually don’t come here for the money. They come here for something that’s actually bigger than that to them.”
Judy Trammell, the team’s head choreographer, echoed that sentiment, noting that the cheerleaders’ professional careers beyond the squad are part of what makes them unique.
Still, many viewers and dancers alike have argued passion doesn’t pay rent. And now, thanks to a groundswell of support and some Netflix-fueled visibility, the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders are finally seeing the value of their labor acknowledged.
Moumita Basuroychowdhury is a Contributing Reporter at The National Digest. After earning an economics degree at Cornell University, she moved to NYC to pursue her MFA in creative writing. She enjoys reporting on science, business and culture news. You can reach her at moumita.b@thenationaldigest.com.