23 Shocking Rules Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Have to Follow

Viewers have been left stunned after discovering just how many strict rules the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders are required to follow. Often referred to as the DCC, the iconic squad represents the Dak Prescott-led, five-time Super Bowl-winning Cowboys – and they’ve found themselves in the spotlight more than ever thanks to the second season of ‘America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders’, which dropped on Netflix earlier this week.

Cheerleading has been part of NFL tradition since the 1950s, with the Baltimore Colts credited as the first team to introduce a cheer squad. To this day, the New York Giants remain the only franchise in NFL history never to have one. While the tradition has been gradually fading – with seven of the league’s 32 teams currently without cheer squads – the Cowboys continue to carry the torch. Fittingly nicknamed “America’s Team,” their cheerleaders are equally iconic, though their mystique has often been a secret until now.

Their fame has drawn cameras behind the scenes in recent football seasons, giving viewers an eye-opening look at what life is really like for a DCC member. Season 1 of the Netflix docuseries earned a perfect 100 per cent score on Rotten Tomatoes, though many were quick to point out how distressing some of its themes were, from body image pressures and militaristic training, to beauty expectations and unequal power dynamics. Season 2 dives even deeper – this time exploring the long list of bizarre and rigid rules the cheerleaders are expected to follow.

The 23 Shocking Rules The Dallas Cowboys’ Cheerleaders Follow

Some of the rules are straight up bizarre

The reality of being on a cheer squad is that many of the rules and expectations remain stuck in the past. As per the Cosmopolitan, these are the 23 rules the cheerleaders have to follow:

1. You have to look ‘well-proportioned’ in dance wear.
2. You must wear shades that ‘complement your natural beauty’ when it comes to make-up
3. No glitter eyeshadow – only matte shades are allowed
4. No fake eyelashes ‘that are very solid or very long’
5. No ‘loud/bright’ lip and cheek colors
6. Don’t go overboard on contour, highlighter and spray tans with ‘orange tones’
7. No visible tattoos
8. No dating the players
9. You must maintain the same body weight
10. No going out in jeans, as per rules stated in books given in the early days of the squad
11. No chewing gum
12. No pouting
13. No missing rehearsal
14. You must eat a ‘proper diet’ e.g. take vitamins, have a healthy breakfast, and drink eight glasses of water
15. You can’t appear anywhere where alcohol is served or go to parties
16. You have to ‘give every living creature you meet a smile’
17. No whining
18. No being late
19. No ‘provocative pictures’ shared to Instagram
20. No bringing strangers into a group setting
21. No gossiping about the team on social media
22. Be in full hair and make-up every day
23. You must say ‘yes ma’am’

Related

The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders’ Salary Revealed

Following the conclusion of America’s Sweethearts Season 2 on Netflix, the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders have received a 400% pay raise.

Signs Of Progress Within NFL Cheer Squads

The documentary has already brought about positive sweeping changes

Thanks in part to Netflix’s documentary shining a light on the harsh realities of life as a cheerleader, there have been significant strides in challenging outdated norms in recent years. Just this week, the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders received a 400 per cent pay raise.

Previously, the squad were paid $400 per game – a figure that itself was the result of a 2019 settlement that doubled their earlier $200 per game rate, the Sun reported. It also means their hourly pay soared to $75 as opposed to just $15.

Cheerleaders typically dedicate 30 to 40 hours a week to training, performances, and preparation, all while many still juggle second jobs just to make ends meet. But the recent pay rise marks a long-overdue step toward properly compensating them for the hard work they put in as they can never take a break from their role.

One of the cheerleaders, Megan McElaney, said: “We ended up getting a 400 per cent increase, which is like, life-changing.” While former Cowboys dancer Jada McLean added: “Happy isn’t even the right word for it.

The DCC’s growing social media presence is also opening new doors. They recently landed their first-ever paid brand partnership through a sponsorship deal with Charlotte Tilbury and even graced the cover of Vogue magazine – clear signs that the cheerleaders are finally receiving as much attention as the players on the gridiron.

It’s a notable shift for the world’s most valuable sports franchise – topping Forbes’ sporting wealth list with a valuation of $10.1 billion – which has long lagged in how it treated its widely-loved cheer squad.