FOLLOWING years of controversy, the iconic Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders secured a historic pay rise in 2025.
Netflix’s America’s Sweethearts revealed the world’s wealthiest sports franchise paid their dedicated team of dancers inadequately, but thankfully they have secured a 400 per cent pay rise.
The Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders have secured a 400 per cent pay rise
GettyMembers of the squad put in up to 40 hours a week practicing[/caption]
GettyPreviously the squad was paid just $400 per game[/caption]
In June 2025, it was announced on Netflix docuseries America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders that the squad would receive a 400 per cent pay increase for the 2025 NFL season.
This marks a significant shift from previous years, when their pay was widely criticized as inadequate given the demanding nature and visibility of their role.
During the show’s first series, Charlotte Jones — daughter of franchise owner Jerry Jones — admitted their was an issue with their pay, saying: “There’s a lot of cynicism around pay for NFL cheerleaders — as it should be. They’re not paid a lot.”
Previously, the squad was paid $400 per game — a figure that itself was the result of a 2019 settlement that doubled their earlier $200 per game rate.
And now the Cowboys have reportedly multiplied the squad’s pay by four, which would take it up to somewhere in the region of $1,600.
When season two of America’s Sweethearts dropped on June 18, 2025, one of the Cowboy’s cheerleaders revealed that the franchise had finally addressed this issue.
Megan McElaney said: “We ended up getting a 400 per cent increase, which is like, life-changing.”
She said they would now earn around $75 per hour, compared to about $15 per hour from the previous season for most cheerleaders.
And former Cowboys dancer Jada McLean added: “Happy isn’t even the right word for it.
“I think I was just … a relief, like everything had paid off… Finally, we were done fighting.”
Former Cowboys cheerleader Jada reportedly earned between $15,000 and $22,000 annually during her time with the squad, a figure that includes game-day pay, rehearsals and paid appearances.
She also told the New York Times that the new contract does not include health insurance.
Cheerleaders typically spend 30 to 40 hours per week on training, performances, and preparations, and many still work additional jobs to make ends meet.
The pay raise comes after years of internal discussions, media coverage, and legal action.
In 2018, former cheerleader Erica Wilkins filed a lawsuit alleging unfair pay practices, claiming she earned about $7 an hour plus a flat $200 per game.
The lawsuit was settled in 2019, doubling the per-game rate at the time.
Although the Dallas Cowboys are the most valuable sports franchise in the world, topping Forbes’ sporting wealth list with a valuation of $10.1billion, their cheerleaders’ pay has historically lagged behind the team’s financial stature.
The recent raise is seen by many as long-overdue, bringing the cheerleaders’ pay more in line with the squad’s prominence, commitment and workload.
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