
Netflix docuseries America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders has put Nfl cheerleaders In the light during the low season of the sport. And with all eyes on the most stadium workers’ fans, he asks an obvious question: How much does the NFL entertainers pay?
It turns out, not much.
NFL animators are contractual workers, which means they do not work for full -time teams and do not receive a salary. Instead, they are paid for play or hourly.
Thereby United States lovers You see the entertainers work second, as the leader of the group Kelcey WetterbergThat she is a pediatric nurse. Meanwhile, rookie entertainer Reece allman It works in a flower store.
Cowboys animator Do more than the average of the league but may not be enough to make a living.
How much do NFL entertainers do?

The answer varies. It rumors that Cowboys Cheerleaders win about $ 75,000 a year but this does not seem to match what the current and old animators say they say United States lovers.
“I would say I’m doing, like now, a substitute teacher (salary)” ex -cowboys Animator Kat purly He tells the docuseries. “I would say I’m doing, such as Chick-Fil-a Full-time worker.”
From a 2017 Sph reportNFL Cheerleaders made an average of $ 150 per game, as well as additional money for practice and public appearances, adding about $ 22,500 a year. Cowboys Cheerleaders won considerably more, around $ 500 per game, according to a 2022 report Nbc boston.
Animators work toll hours to make this money. The series highlights a section in December of 2023 when the Cowboys Cheerleaders worked for 21 days in a row over their external work.
Despite the rumors, not even the director of the series knows exactly how much the animators do.
“I think it is because it varies according to the senior you are in the group,” Greg Whiteley I talked to Charm. “You can even pay more if you are a leader of the group, although this was never clear to me.”
Several cowboys dancers asked the company’s executives for a higher remuneration during the 2024-2025 season. As revealed in season 2 of United States loversDCC members succeeded in defending an increase of 400 percent.
“There is an increase around when it comes to time and appearance and everything together”, “ Jada Mclean Explained exclusively Use weekly. “It’s a great change and I think girls will benefit from moving forward.
Animators have sued the NFL to improve their salary
Ex -Oakland Raiders Animator Lacy Thibodeaux-Filds He filed a class action demand against the NFL in 2014 for salary robbery and gender discrimination. He stated that he was only paid for the hours he was doing, not the countless hours they went in to practice his trade. This resulted in only $ 1,250 for the season.
An ex -Buffalo Bills Animator later sued the League, saying he made only $ 105 for the season, but had to pay $ 600 for a uniform.
By 2020, 10 of the 32 NFL franchises faced a demand from the entertainers, The tutor informed.
Thibodeaux-Filds demand promoted a U.S. Department of Labor Department, which determined that Raiders’ entertainers only gained about $ 5 per hour, well below the minimum salary of $ 8 in California at that time.
How do you compare the payment of NFL animators with another GameDay staff?

Naturally, players make anyone who works in GameDay by far. Quarterback of Cincinnati Bengals Joe BurrowNFL’s best paid player next season will be $ 65.7 million only by 2024. The Kansas City heads ended with the end Travis kelce It will be $ 17.1 million and the minimum league salary will be $ 795,000.
Although other staff working in GameDay do not approach players’ swollen contracts, many do considerably more than animators. Waterboys, for example, bring home between 50,000 and 60,000 $ 60,000 a year According to pRO Football Network – And this is without the calendar of practices that the animators have to endure. They are also full -time employees, with the right to vacation, a profit package and other advantages.
It is treated at the same time that pets also do. Professional football network estimates They win about $ 60,000 a year.