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Minnesota Vikings’ First Male Cheerleaders Blaize Shiek and Louie Conn Stand Strong, Champion Inclusion
READ TIME: 7 MIN.
Blaize Shiek and Louie Conn have become the first men to join the Minnesota Vikings cheerleader squad for the 2025–26 season, marking a milestone for inclusivity in the NFL and reflecting broader changes in the world of professional sports. Their selection comes as NFL teams across the country increasingly open cheerleading squads to men, challenging decades-old gender norms and creating new opportunities for queer visibility on and off the field .
The announcement of Shiek and Conn’s inclusion sparked a wave of reactions on social media. While many celebrated the Vikings’ decision as a bold step towards diversity and acceptance, a vocal contingent of fans expressed outrage online, with some even threatening to cancel their season tickets. Comments ranged from “How embarrassing” to “I just lost all of my respect for the Vikings,” reflecting persistent biases against male cheerleaders and broader resistance to queer visibility in sports .
The backlash was immediate after the Vikings posted a video featuring Shiek and Conn on their official social media platforms. Online hate and negative commentary followed, with some critics dismissing the pair’s presence as evidence of a “woke agenda.” Despite this, both Shiek and Conn responded with poise, sharing photos of themselves in uniform and leaning into their visibility as trailblazers .
The Vikings organization swiftly issued a statement in defense of their cheerleaders, affirming, “We support all our cheerleaders and are proud of the role they play as ambassadors of the organization.” The statement also highlighted that “Male cheerleaders have been a part of previous Vikings teams and have long been associated with collegiate and professional cheerleading” .
Sheik and Conn themselves quickly showed that even homophobic hatred wasn't going to dampen their team spirit.
Beyond the Vikings, other NFL male cheerleaders reached out to offer encouragement. Members of the Philadelphia Eagles cheer squad—Dalton Walsh, James LeGette and Alex Fan, James LeGette, and Dalton Walsh—were supportive, with Walsh saying on Good Morning America, “We know what it feels like to feel that somebody doesn’t support you for simply doing something that you enjoy… You’re already doing what you love and you were selected through this rigorous process and you deserved it. Continue to tune the noise out because at the end it’s really only you and yourself and you have to make yourself happy” .
NFL teams such as the Los Angeles Rams, who introduced male cheerleaders in 2018, have helped pave the way for change. Today, about one-third of all NFL teams feature male cheerleaders—a number that continues to grow as attitudes evolve .
The inclusion of Shiek and Conn is part of a wider movement to challenge and redefine traditional gender roles in professional cheerleading. Historically, men have participated in cheer squads primarily in “stunt” roles, separated from the main dance line. However, teams like the Vikings, Los Angeles Rams, and Carolina Panthers are increasingly integrating men into all aspects of performance, from dance routines to leading crowd chants .
This move not only creates more inclusive spaces for men but also for queer individuals who have long been underrepresented or marginalized in sports. Justine Lindsay of the Carolina Panthers, the first publicly out transgender cheerleader in the NFL, is among several trailblazers helping to pave the way for greater acceptance and visibility .
The Vikings underlined that every member of their cheerleader program, regardless of gender, went through the same rigorous audition process and boasts an impressive dance background. “These cheerleaders are not unionized and are generally part-time employees. So they do this mainly because they’re talented and they love it,” noted one commentator on Good Morning America .
