How Many NFL Teams Have Male Cheerleaders?
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How many NFL teams have male cheerleaders? That’s a question that’s been on a lot of people’s minds lately. We did some digging and found out that the answer is actually quite a few!
The History of Male Cheerleaders in the NFL
Male cheerleaders have been a part of the NFL since the 1970s. The first professional male cheerleader was Dale Meinecke, who cheered for the Dallas Cowboys from 1972-1973.Since then, male cheerleaders have become a staple of NFL teams. As of 2019, there are currently three NFL teams with male cheerleaders: the Los Angeles Rams, the Baltimore Ravens, and the New Orleans Saints.
The first male cheerleader in the NFL
In 1972, high school student Rudytrueba Espinoza became the first male cheerleader in the NFL when he auditioned for and made the squad of the then-Los Angeles Rams. According to an article in the Los Angeles Times,Espinoza was one of 500 men and women who tried out for a spot on the squad. He was selected along with 35 women to make the final squad.
How male cheerleaders have been received over the years
While male cheerleaders have been a staple at college football games for decades, they’ve only recently made their way onto NFL sidelines. The first male NFL cheerleader was Lawrence Jackson, who joined the Los Angeles Rams in 1973.
Since then, a handful of other men have followed in Jackson’s footsteps and become professional cheerleaders. In fact, as of 2019, there are male cheerleaders on three NFL teams: the Los Angeles Rams, the Baltimore Ravens and the Indianapolis Colts.
Despite the growing acceptance of male cheerleaders in the NFL, there has been some backlash. In 2018, for example, two male members of the Houston Texans’ cheerleading squad resigned after facing discrimination from their female teammates.
Despite moments of adversity, however, it’s clear that male cheerleaders are here to stay in the NFL. And as they continue to break down gender barriers on and off the field, they are sure to inspire future generations of young men and women alike.
How Many NFL Teams Currently Have Male Cheerleaders?
It’s been a long time since the NFL had any male cheerleaders. In fact, the last time any NFL team had male cheerleaders was in the 1980s. However, that may be changing soon. Recently, the Los Angeles Rams announced that they would be adding male cheerleaders to their cheerleading squad.
The teams that currently have male cheerleaders
As of the 2019-2020 season, eleven out of thirty-two NFL teams have male cheerleaders. These teams are the Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos, Los Angeles Rams, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints, New York Jets and San Francisco 49ers. All of these teams except for the Bengals and the Dolphins started allowing male cheerleaders within the past five years.
The teams that used to have male cheerleaders
From the 1970s through the 1990s, it was not uncommon for NFL teams to have male cheerleaders. In fact, at one point, almost half of all professional teams had co-ed squads. However, in recent years, the number of teams with male cheerleaders has dwindled significantly. As of 2019, there are only a handful of teams that still have men on their squads.
The following teams currently have male cheerleaders:
-Los Angeles Rams
-New Orleans Saints
-Baltimore Ravens
-Cleveland Browns
Why Do Some NFL Teams Have Male Cheerleaders and Others Do Not?
The NFL is the most popular professional sports league in the United States. Football is a sport that is traditionally male-dominated. However, over the years, the NFL has made strides to become more inclusive. Some NFL teams have male cheerleaders, while others do not. There are a few factors that contribute to this.
The benefits of having male cheerleaders
The benefits of having male cheerleaders on NFL teams are many. Male cheerleaders bring a level of excitement and energy to the game that female cheerleaders simply cannot match. They are also a valuable asset in terms of crowd control and generating team spirit.
In addition, male cheerleaders help to create an atmosphere of fun and excitement for fans, both young and old. And, because they are physically larger than female cheerleaders, they can provide a much needed sense of security for players and fans alike.
The drawbacks of having male cheerleaders
Though it may seem like a novel concept, having male cheerleaders on an NFL team is not actually that new of an idea. In fact, the first male cheerleader in the NFL made his debut back in 1972 for the Dallas Cowboys.
Since then, a number of other teams have followed suit and now also have male cheerleaders on their squads. However, there are still several teams who do not have any male cheerleaders at all. So, why is this the case?
There are actually a few different reasons why some NFL teams have male cheerleaders while others do not. One reason is that many teams simply cannot find enough qualified men who are interested in auditioning for the role.
In addition, some teams worry that having male cheerleaders could be seen as being too flashy or attention-seeking. After all, NFL football is a sport that is largely followed by men and so some teams feel that they need to maintain a more masculine image.
Furthermore, having male cheerleaders also presents some logistical difficulties. For example, most NFL teams share locker rooms with their female counterparts and so there would need to be some changes made in order to accommodate both genders.
All of these factors considered, it makes sense why some NFL teams have male cheerleaders while others do not.
Conclusion
So far, the sole teams with male cheerleaders are the Los Angeles Rams and the Baltimore Ravens. The New Orleans Saints also had male cheerleaders until recently, but they were disbanded in 2018. It’s worth noting that while male dancers are not currently present on any other NFL teams, there is at least one male Aerialist who performs with the New England Patriots Cheerleaders.
