Why the Dallas Cowboys have never had a male cheerleader

It has been historically quite rare to see male or transgender cheerleaders in the NFL thanks to societal norms and concerns about marketability. But in 1998, the Baltimore Ravens became the first NFL team to include male stuntmen on their cheerleading squad. In 2022, Justine Lindsay made history as the first openly transgender cheerleader, joining the Carolina Panthers’ TopCats.

Now, in 2025, several NFL teams have male cheerleaders on their squads. Some of the teams utilize the male cheerleaders mainly for stunts, while others feature them in the same dance routines as their female counterparts.

Here are the NFL teams with male cheerleaders on the squad in 2025:

• Baltimore Ravens
• Tennessee Titans
• Philadelphia Eagles
• New Orleans Saints
• Seattle Seahawks
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers
• Carolina Panthers
• Kansas City Chiefs
• Indianapolis Colts
• Washington Commanders
• San Francisco 49ers

But one notable team missing here is the Dallas Cowboys. Famous for their cheerleaders, the Cowboys have never had a male on the cheerleading squad.

Why the DCC has never included male cheerleaders

While the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders as we know them today - the ones introduced by Tex Schramm in 1969 who have largely unchanged since then - have always been all-female, the Cowboys do have male dancers and were actually the first team to have a co-ed dance squad.

Charlotte Jones (daughter of owner Jerry Jones and chief brand officer for the Cowboys) founded the Rhythm & Blues Dancers in 2009. They perform at home games on stage, during halftime, and on the sidelines. They also have a co-ed Drum Corp and youth co-ed hip hop dance team called the Dallas Cowboys Rookie Squad.

But the DCC themselves have historically been all-female and there are no current plans to change that. Early on, the Cowboys had a co-ed squad of high schoolers known as the “CowBelles and their Beaux,” but they were a different sort of cheerleading squad back then.

Now, the DCC is known for its aesthetic - the big hair, the bright white smiles, and the teeny-tiny outfits with the white Cowboy boots. Part of their identity is their femininity and there are strict rules the cheerleaders are expected to follow that having males on the squad could significantly change.

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While other NFL teams adopted co-ed cheer squads, it’s unlikely the Cowboys will do so anytime soon. But the good news is that males are at least welcome in other areas that include dance and the opportunity to perform on the field. But on the cheer squad? Not likely in this century.

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