Vikings Stand Firm After Backlash Over Two New Male Cheerleaders
Jordan Collins here. Okay, I’ll explain, but try to keep up: the Minnesota Vikings added two male cheerleaders and predictable internet chaos ensued.
Five days after the Minnesota Vikings unveiled their 2025 cheer squad on Instagram with a flashy clip that opens on Louie Conn, the team found itself defending its roster choice against a wave of online criticism and a few very public jerks. The organization confirmed in a statement to NBC News on August 14 that male cheerleaders are not a novel invention for the franchise and that previous Vikings squads, as well as many collegiate and professional programs, have included men. The team stressed, “We support all of our cheerleaders and are proud of the role they play as ambassadors of the organization.”
Let me be blunt: social media reliably manufactures outrage when something slightly different strolls into the spotlight. The Instagram reveal on August 9, captioned “The next generation of cheer has arrived!,” showed Louie Conn up front and center, and along with genuine fanship came predictable pushback. Commenters ranged from supportive to sanctimonious, with several users declaring they were no longer Vikings fans or that their respect for the team had evaporated. Those loudmouthed consequences—canceling season tickets—turned out to be empty threats, according to the Vikings, who told NBC News that no fans have canceled in response to the male additions.
Then came the uglier kinds of responses. Former NFL wide receiver Antonio Brown posted on X using a homophobic slur directed at Conn, a public display that drew attention for all the wrong reasons. Support did not stay quiet. Torrey Smith, a two-time Super Bowl champion, weighed in on X on August 13 with an unequivocal endorsement: he described starting a youth program in West Baltimore that included cheer and insisted he would not exclude a boy who wanted to cheer. “If he wants to cheer, let him cheer,” Smith wrote, adding that his program enforces “Zero Bullying.” That sentiment frames the larger debate: youth sports and professional squads increasingly reflect inclusivity, and high-profile athletes are willing to call out negativity.
Context matters here. Male cheerleaders are hardly an NFL novelty; their presence has precedent in the Vikings’ own history and across collegiate ranks. The team’s public defense is both a factual correction and a PR olive branch to fans who might be confused by representation they do not personally expect. The reaction also illuminates how sports fandom sometimes misreads tradition versus evolution: what some see as a departure is often continuity with a broader cheerleading culture.
This episode also ricochets into another cheerleading subplot: the physical toll of professional cheering. The story segue included a reminder about the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders, whose trademark jump splits have left some alums with long-term injuries. Caroline Sundvold, who appeared on the Netflix docuseries American Sweethearts, has discussed hip and foot surgeries after seasons of intense choreography. The takeaway is twofold: inclusion debates make headlines, but the athletic rigor behind cheer squads deserves respect too.
So where does this leave us? The Vikings stood by Louie Conn and Blaize Shiek publicly, no confirmed ticket fallout surfaced, and prominent voices pushed back against hateful commentary. Fans will continue to argue online while teams, athletes, and former players nudge the culture toward normalizing diverse cheer squads. Expect more social media dust-ups when other teams reveal their rosters, and don’t be surprised if the next controversy is less about identity and more about injuries or rehearsal footage going viral.
Final pointer: if you’re going to rage about team decisions, at least be consistent and informed. Glad I could clear that up for you.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and E! Online, NBC News, X (formerly Twitter)
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
