Considering how much time NFL cheerleaders commit to their teams and considering how much NFL franchises are worth, it is hard to believe they make so little.
Sometimes cheerleading requires arriving at games five hours prior to prepare for their performance or spending 30-40 hours a week in practice, and yet, they are paid significantly less than anyone else involved at the stadium.
In fact, they don’t just make little, they make minimum wage. Fifteen-year-old lifeguards who just started their first job earn the same amount of money as these cheerleaders who spend 14-hour days in the stadium and most of their lives on buses to and from games.
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In 2021, NFL cheerleaders finally took a stand and rose to the occasion, filing lawsuits to help their cause.
With the 2022-23 season on the way, let’s take a look at what NFL cheerleaders make today and why it is so little:
How much does an average NFL cheerleader make per game?
Surprisingly, NFL cheerleaders do not earn as much as you might think. On average, the cheerleaders earn about $150 per game. This comes out to about $22,500 per year.
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They also receive anywhere from $50 to $75 if they are featured for a public appearance. Therefore, the more you strut your stuff on camera, the more you get paid.
How much do the highest-paid NFL cheerleaders make?
If we are not talking about averages, the most cheerleaders usually make is approximately $500 per match. That is, if you’re a popular, well-known squad.
For instance, Dallas Cowboyscheerleaders, aka America’s Sweethearts, who happen to be one of the most popular groups in the NFL, earn about $15-20 per hour, or $500 per match. Therefore, their yearly salary comes out to about $75,000.
Similarly, the Carolina Panthers cheerleaders’, otherwise known as the Carolina TopCats, are paid $75,000 yearly.
Why do NFL cheerleaders earn so little?
Technically the reason for this is because cheerleaders for the NFL, and the NBA for that matter, are independent contractors. This means the teams are not necessarily required to pay the cheerleaders salaries in line with state and federal minimum wages.
As a result, NFL cheerleaders, who used to earn as little as $5 per hour at one point in time, have been posing a fight for decades.
In 2021, a series of lawsuits brought about by these cheerleaders caused 10 out of 26 NFL teams to be sued for wage theft, unsafe working conditions, sexual harassment and discrimination.
The lawsuits included teams such as the New York Jets, the Buffalo Bills, the Cincinnati Bengals and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Tampa Bay cheerleaders’ lawsuit settled for a reported $825,000, and the Cincinnati cheerleaders’ settled for a reported $255,000, according to the Expert Institute.
Since then, a national conversation erupted involving the exploitation of women in sports, and now cheerleaders are respected and paid a bit more -- but still not as much as they should be.
How much do NFL cheerleaders make in comparison to other participants on the field?
NFL cheerleaders tend to make about $150 per game, or $22,500 per year, on average.
Meanwhile, NFL waterboys usually make $53,000 per year and NFL mascots make $25,000 per season.
How much do NFL cheerleaders make in comparison to NFL players?
There is a major disparity between the minimum wage earnings of an NFL cheerleader and an NFL player.
On average, an NFL player makes about $2 million per season. But remember, this is an average salary. Most of the players we know and love make way beyond that, including Green Bay Packers quarterbackAaron Rodgers, who will be making $150 million over the next three years ($50.3 million per year), as well as Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray, who makes $46.1 million per season.
How much do NFL cheerleaders make in comparison to NFL coaches?
NFL coaches can make up to about $7 million per season. But again, this is only an average.
When it comes to coaches and players, all I can say is: cha–ching!
Los Angeles Ramshead coach Sean McVay makes upwards of $18 million per season, New England Patriotshead coach Bill Belichick makes $12.5 million, and Seattle Seahawks head coachPete Carroll makes $11 million.
NFL cheerleaders' compensation has long been a contentious issue. Their dedication to the team, extensive practice hours, and game-day commitments stand in stark contrast to their meager earnings, primarily hovering around minimum wage. This low compensation sparked numerous lawsuits filed by cheerleaders against NFL teams, citing wage theft, unsafe working conditions, and discrimination.
The financial breakdown is staggering. On average, NFL cheerleaders earn a mere $150 per game, totaling approximately $22,500 annually. Even their highest-earning counterparts, like the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders, known as "America's Sweethearts," rake in around $500 per match, amounting to an annual salary of $75,000. However, this figure remains substantially lower than the earnings of NFL waterboys ($53,000 per year) and mascots ($25,000 per season).
Comparatively, the wage gap between cheerleaders and NFL players and coaches is astronomical. While cheerleaders make a meager $22,500 per year on average, NFL players earn an average of $2 million per season, with top players surpassing this by significant margins. For instance, Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers is set to earn $150 million over three years, averaging $50.3 million annually, while Kyler Murray of the Arizona Cardinals pulls in $46.1 million per season.
NFL coaches' salaries are also leagues apart from cheerleaders'. Head coaches like Sean McVay of the Los Angeles Rams earn upwards of $18 million per season, while Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots commands $12.5 million, and Pete Carroll of the Seattle Seahawks brings in $11 million.
The discrepancy in compensation between cheerleaders and other stakeholders within the NFL reflects systemic issues and a longstanding debate surrounding fair pay, employment status, and gender equality in sports. While recent lawsuits have brought attention to this disparity and led to incremental improvements in cheerleaders' pay, there remains a substantial gap that many argue requires urgent rectification.
