America’s Darlings: The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders
Netflix/Courtesy Everett Collection
“I would say I make the same money as a full-time Chick-fil-A employee,” former Dallas Cowboys cheerleader Katherine Puryear tells viewers in the first episode of Netflix’s latest hit documentary series. America’s Darlings: The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders.
The former professional cheerleader, who has been a commentator on the show throughout, offered the explanation after being asked point-blank how much she made from the concert, a topic of conversation throughout the episode. Over the weekend, Puryear took to her TikTok page to expand on the discussion. (At the time of publication, the video had been viewed more than seven million times on TikTok.)
The video begins with the scene mentioned and an on-screen caption that reads, “I’m going to clarify a few things,” with a blushing emoji with a hand over her mouth. “Okay, here’s my speech,” Puryear begins before offering to detail her salary as a Cowboys cheerleader. She clarifies, however, that she can’t go into too much detail.
“I can’t tell you every dollar amount because I don’t read my contract in its entirety, and I think it says not to disclose that information,” she says in the TikTok video. “So I’m not even going to mess with that.”
While the Netflix series doesn’t really address the topic of cheerleading pay, it is briefly touched on early in the series. “I think my game day fee was $35, and we basically donated that money,” Tina Kalina says just 20 minutes into the series’ first episode. Kalina is a former Cowboys cheerleader and the mother of another current Cowboys cheerleader, Victoria Kalina, who features heavily throughout the series.
“These Millennials, X-Gen, whatever they want to call them, see it as a job, whereas we older people see it more as a privilege,” she adds.
Charlotte Jones, executive vice president and chief brand officer of the Dallas Cowboys, even addressed the topic during the show. “You know, there’s a lot of cynicism around how NFL cheerleaders are paid… as it should be,” Jones said. “They’re not paid very well.”
“But really, they’re not coming here for the money. They’re coming for something that’s much more important to them,” Jones continues. “They have a passion for dance. There aren’t a lot of opportunities in dance to perform at an elite level.”
What is the pay structure for cheerleaders?
Puryear explains in her TikTok video that cheerleaders are paid a flat fee for games, plus an hourly wage on game day. She notes that these days can typically last 11 hours, adding that “it’s pretty cool.” The former cheerleader also added that practices are paid by the hour.
In the video, Puryear explains that appearances at local events are also paid a flat fee plus an hourly rate. However, according to the video, these fees vary depending on the cheerleader’s tenure on the team, which is capped at five years.
“Fifth-year people make a lot more money because of their seniority, because of their time,” Puryear says in the video. She also points out that the appearances are voluntary.
How much do cheerleaders get paid?
Puryear’s account of TikTok, at least in terms of structure, seems to align with a 2022 report from NBC Sports Boston on NFL cheerleading pay. The report said Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders earned about $15 to $20 an hour or $500 per game, or an average of $75,000 per year.
According to the same NBC Sports Boston report, the Cowboys cheerleaders, as well as the Carolina Panthers cheerleading squad, known as the Carolina TopCats, are paid significantly more than other NFL cheerleading squads. The report states that on average, NFL cheerleaders make about $150 per game, or $22,500 per year.
Do cheerleaders work full time?
“It’s like a full-time commitment, a part-time salary,” Puryear concludes in his TikTok video. “It’s a good part-time job, but we have a lot of work.”
Puryear herself has stated that she had a part-time job during her time on the team. However, throughout the series, several veteran and rookie members of the team talk about their full-time jobs.
