Minnesota Vikings show support for their male cheerleaders amid backlash
As the start of the 2025 NFL season approaches, football fans have been enjoying seeing the players, coaches, cheerleaders and other members of the organization make their way back to their home stadiums for the pre-season. The Minnesota Vikings, like other teams, have been feeding into the excitement by posting content on social media highlighting its members. On Aug. 9, the Vikings and the team's official account for its cheerleading squad shared a video on Instagram introducing all the cheerleaders on its roster.
In the clip, the entire squad, including male cheerleaders Shiek and Conn, can be seen nailing the routine and shaking their pompoms.
'The next generation of cheer has arrived!' the caption read.
While many fans celebrated seeing inclusivity on the sidelines, some filled the comments with offensive remarks and threats of withdrawing their support.
The Vikings responded to the vitriol in a statement obtained by TODAY.com.
'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. In 2025, approximately one third of NFL teams have male cheerleaders,' the team said. 'Every member of the Minnesota Vikings Cheerleaders program has an impressive dance background and went through the same rigorous audition process. Individuals were selected because of their talent, passion for dance and dedication to elevating the game day experience.'
The team concluded, 'We support all our cheerleaders and are proud of the role they play as ambassadors of the organization.'
Instead of letting the comments negatively affect them, Shiek and Conn chose to rise above it.
The two uploaded a joint Instagram post on Saturday that showed them posing in their cheer uniforms. 'Wait…did someone say our name?' they cheekily wrote in the caption.
Fans left some encouraging words in the comments.
'Yesss!!! Literal icons! Let the haters talk and y'all keep SHINING!' one said. 'I know I speak for so many when I say I'm so excited to watch y'all show up & SHOW OUT this season!!'
Another wrote, 'I noticed you both immediately when you first took the field. Not because of gender but because you were both damn good dancers.'
A third commented with a pun. 'Just a couple of viKINGS,' they said along with two crown emoji.
Sheik shared why he wanted to join the squad in a video uploaded to the Vikings' YouTube page last month.
'I went to a lot of Vikings games with my family, mainly my dad. I was definitely watching cheerleaders thinking, like, 'I wish I could do that.''
He added he was 'being that role model for other little kids who don't know that this is an option.'
Conn said in the video, 'The people I'm meeting, dancers, cheerleaders and coaches, are really shaping the way that I'm thinking about this program. And I'm really starting to love it a lot.'
'The Carolina Panthers, since 2022, have featured the first and only openly-transgender cheerleader (Justine Lindsay) in the NFL,' NBC News reported. The Washington Commanders also currently have a co-ed dance squad.
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