The Dallas Cowboys became the first NFL team to mainstream its own modern-style cheerleading squad when owner Tex Schramm decided to create the group in the early 1970s. The team had cheerleaders dating back to 1961, but with the opening of Texas Stadium in the 70s, Schramm sought to bring a grander style of entertainment to the sidelines.
As the Cowboys grew into "America's Team" early in the next decade, the cheerleaders became so ubiquitous that they earned the nickname "America's Sweethearts."
For better or worse, the Cowboys cheerleaders have remained a cultural icon ever since. So much so, in fact, the group now travels the country in the offseason on yearly tours in amphitheaters and concert venues, and in 2024, Netflix began airing a show about the squad.
For the longest time, however, the cheerleaders had not been well paid. It could be argued they're still not well paid, even if a large raise came their way in recent years. NBC Boston estimated that the average salary for a Cowboys cheerleader now is about $75,000.
That follows a lawsuit against the franchise brought forth by former cheerleader Erica Wilkins, who sued the team in 2018 for unfair pay. She claimed in the suit that she was paid just $7 an hour and $200 per game. An unnamed cheerleader in 2024 told NBC Boston she figured she earned about $15 an hour and $500 per appearance that year.
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It's unclear exactly how much a Cowboys cheerleader is paid. Cheerleader Reece Weaver told the "Unplanned" podcast in November 2025 that she figured the pay raise she and her squadmates received for the most recent football season was about 300%.
Compared to other teams, the estimated $75,000 per year is well ahead of cheerleaders for other teams, which NBC Boston reported make as little as $22,500 per year. Or did in 2024, anyway.
Likely the Cowboys' cheerleaders' salaries do not include money made from the yearly tours or for the Netflix show, meaning some members of the squad likely make well into the hundreds of thousands of a year.
But it was a long, difficult fight to make it to that point. Thankfully, it's only fitting for the group (mostly) affectionately called "America's Sweethearts."
