'Woke' Minnesota Vikings face backlash after male cheerleaders join squad
Article content
The addition of Blaize Shiek and Louie Conn have prompted some on social media to say they will no longer support the NFL team, while others have gone so far as to hit the two men with homophobic and hateful comments.
Article content
Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville, a former college football coach, said he believes the optics will affect the league's masculine image.
Article content
'I would like to ask the ownership of the NFL and the commissioner, 'What the hell are you doing?'' the Alabama senator told Outkick's Hot Mic with Hutton & Withrow.
Article content
'If you're going to be woke, and if you're going to try to take the men out of men's sports, which is what they're doing, they're trying to take gender and try and make it more about gender than about masculinity, then you're going to have a huge problem.'
Article content
Tuberville continued: 'You can see Minnesota doing it, they're one of the blue states, we've lost them, and they're more into socialism and it's about 150 genders. But at the end of the day, I hope to God it doesn't come South.'
Article content
However, the Vikings are standing by their decision and showing their full support for the additions.
Article content
'While many fans may be seeing male cheerleaders for the first time at Vikings games, male cheerleaders have been part of previous Vikings teams and have long been associated with collegiate and professional cheerleading,' the team said in a statement, via Today.com.
Article content
'In 2025, approximately one third of NFL teams have male cheerleaders,' the team continued.
Article content
Article content
'Every member of the Minnesota Vikings Cheerleaders program has an impressive dance background and went through the same rigorous audition process,' they added.
Article content
'Individuals were selected because of their talent, passion for dance and dedication to elevating the game day experience.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Winnipeg Free Press
28 minutes ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Colts planning to keep top 2 QBs on the bench for preseason finale
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indianapolis Colts coach Shane Steichen said Thursday he does not intend to play either of his top two quarterbacks, Daniel Jones or Anthony Richardson, in Saturday's preseason finale at Cincinnati. Steichen also does not intend to play many starters. The announcement comes two days after Steichen said Jones will be the starting quarterback for Indy's Sept. 7 season opener against the Miami Dolphins. 'I think he's one play away from going into an actual game and don't want to take the risk there in that situation,' Steichen said when asked about Richardson. 'We've got a lot of our threes and fours playing in this game.' NFL coaches generally don't play starters in the final preseason game, which is why Jones will sit out. Richardson also has been susceptible to injuries, starting only 15 of 34 games in his first two NFL seasons after being selected fourth overall in the 2023 draft. He also was benched for two games last season after pulling himself out of a game because he was tired. Steichen also announced four-time Pro Bowl cornerback Xavien Howard will not play Saturday. Indy signed Howard on Monday. Howard did not play in the league last season, but worked with Indy's new defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo his first two seasons with the Dolphins. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. ___ AP NFL:
CBC
2 hours ago
- CBC
A political powerhouse from a fishing family in western P.E.I., Gail Shea has died at age 66
Gail Shea began her political journey back in 1996, determined to represent the people and issues in her community, and make changes she said were desperately needed. As CBC's Sheehan Desjardins reports, that journey took her to Parliament Hill and eventually the federal cabinet table.
Winnipeg Free Press
2 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Jets make trade for Phillips official and place Weaver on season-ending IR, cut Mathis
The New York Jets placed defensive lineman Rashad Weaver on season-ending injured reserve and released defensive tackle Phidarian Mathis on Thursday, when their acquisition of nose tackle Harrison Phillips became official. Phillips played the past three seasons for Minnesota after spending his first four with Buffalo. The Jets and Vikings agreed to a trade Wednesday night, pending Phillips passing his physical. New York also acquired a 2027 seventh-round draft pick from Minnesota, which received sixth-rounders in 2026 and 2027. That move came a few hours after the Jets made another addition to their defensive line when they acquired defensive tackle Jowon Briggs and a seventh-rounder next year from Cleveland for a sixth-rounder. The Jets also waived cornerback Ryan 'Bump' Cooper with an injury designation. He was claimed off waivers from Miami last month. Weaver was signed as a free agent by the Jets in March and expected to be part of New York's defensive line rotation. The nature of Weaver's injury was not immediately known and it wasn't clear when it occurred. Weaver, who has 5 1/2 career sacks and 15 quarterback hits in four NFL seasons, was waived by Tennessee last summer after being a fourth-rounder out of Pitt in 2021. He signed with Houston's practice squad and played in three games for the Texans before being waived and finishing last season on the Los Angeles Rams' practice squad. Mathis was claimed by the Jets off waivers from Washington last December. He was a second-round pick of the Commanders out of Alabama in 2022. Mathis has 25 total tackles in 23 games over three NFL seasons. The 6-foot-3, 307-pound Phillips started every game during his tenure with Minnesota and provides a veteran presence next to Pro Bowl defensive tackle Quinnen Williams. A third-round pick out of Stanford in 2018, Phillips has eight career sacks, five fumble recoveries and is regarded as a top run stuffer. He signed a three-year, $19.5 million contract with the Vikings in 2022 and then was signed to a two-year extension in September. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. 'Harrison has meant so much to our team and our locker room since his arrival in Minnesota three years ago,' Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell said in a statement in the team's release announcing the trade. 'He brought leadership, professionalism and consistency, helping set a standard for the culture we wanted to create.' ___ AP Pro Football Writer Dave Campbell in Eagan, Minnesota, contributed. ___ AP NFL:
