The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Finally Got Their Money

The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders have plenty to cheer about lately. Netflix’s America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders dropped its second season on June 18 and immediately shot to number two on the platform’s top 10 list. But the real victory happened off-camera: after years of working for what one cheerleader compared to “Chick-fil-A wages,” the DCC just secured a 400 percent pay raise.

It’s a win that’s been decades in the making for one of the most visible—and historically underpaid—groups in professional sports.

What did the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders earn before the pay increase?

While it is not explicitly stated on the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders website, some reports indicate that the cheerleaders earned around $500 per game or $15 to $20 per hour. That is equivalent to an annual salary of about $75,000. That’s up from the pre-2019 rate of $120 per game, or about $22,500 per year, following a lawsuit that forced the organization to address its pay structure, according to an NBC Sports Boston report in 2022.

In Season 1 of America’s Sweethearts, one DCC staff member made a controversial statement in support of the low pay. Charlotte Jones, the Dallas Cowboys Chief Brand Officer and daughter of owner Jerry Jones, addressed the pay by explaining that the cheerleaders “don’t come here for the money. They come here for something that’s actually bigger than that to them.” 

Outraged fans found this statement to be dismissive of the cheerleaders’ rights to a livable wage. Considering that the Dallas Cowboys is a multi-billion dollar institution, fans were justified in taking to social media to demand better pay for the cheerleaders.

The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders work outside of professional cheerleading

The 400 percent raise means veteran cheerleaders can now earn as much as $150,000 per year—a figure that finally reflects the commitment they make to being on the team and the revenue they help generate. To put it in perspective, the women dedicate 30 to 40 hours per week to practices and rehearsals, plus game days and public appearances, and many worked second jobs to make ends meet.

Kat Puryear, a class of 2022 DCC veteran, famously discussed the low pay with producers on Season 1 of America’s Sweethearts. “I would say I’m making like…a substitute teacher. I would say I’m making…like a Chick-fil-A worker who works full time,” she says.

What does the DCC have to say about the pay raise?

While the current iteration of the DCC has been around since 1972, it took a Netflix doc to generate the public pressure necessary for fair compensation. The cheerleaders are as synonymous with Dallas as the football team itself, and now they’re finally getting paid like the professionals they’ve always been.

Megan McElaney, a four-year veteran, shared her excitement about the recent pay raise announcement. “Our efforts were heard, and they ended up giving us a raise. We ended up getting a 400 percent increase, which is life-changing,” she explained.

Jada McLean, a five-year veteran with the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, retired after the 2024-25 NFL season. On the Netflix docuseries, McLean shared the emotional weight of watching her team’s efforts finally pay off. “Happy isn’t the word for it. I felt relief. Everything had paid off, and finally, we were done fighting,” she said. 

She doubled down on a Today Show interview, saying, “I am super proud of all of us. I think it was a moment of unity for our team. We all came together. We were very inspired by the women who came before us, and we want to inspire the women who come after us. This is a big moment for women in sports.”

Armani Latimer, another retired, five-year DCC veteran, shared her pride in making a way for the next generation. Her storyline in Season 2 of the Netflix docuseries highlights her journey with alopecia. “I love that I made change for the girls coming up behind me, even if I am not able to benefit,” she said.

Her teammate, Reece Weaver, a second-year veteran and fan-favorite, shared her teammates’ pride: “We are so honored. Like Jada said, we have united. It’s just really empowering for a group of women to do this, but also, hopefully, inspiring other women to do it as well.”