It was a Saturday in mid-August when Minnesota Vikings cheerleaders Blaize Shiek and Louie Conn decided to meet their critics head on—albeit with a wink and a smile. After a week of being bombarded by a torrent of homophobic vitriol online, largely from right-wing commentators and former athletes, the two men took to Instagram. Standing together, Shiek posted, "Wait…did someone say our name?" The post was more than just a playful jab; it was a statement of resilience in the face of an increasingly polarized debate over gender, sports, and the boundaries of tradition in the NFL.
Their season with the Vikings had only just begun in April 2025, but already Shiek and Conn found themselves at the center of a national culture war. According to The Independent, the controversy erupted after videos of the Vikings cheer squad, featuring the two men, circulated widely on social media. Actor Kevin Sorbo, once a self-professed lifelong Vikings fan, declared on X, "I need a new team now." Conservative commentator Jesse Kelly chimed in, writing, "Don’t think for a second the enemy is defeated. We have finally begun to fight back. We are finally engaged. Smile about that. But we have much, much work to do." The online pile-on didn’t stop there. Former NFL wide receiver Antonio Brown joined the fray on August 17, using a homophobic slur on X in response to a video of Conn performing—a move that drew widespread condemnation.
But amid the noise, the Minnesota Vikings organization made its position clear. In a statement released the previous week, the team said, "Every member of the Minnesota Vikings Cheerleaders program has an impressive dance background and went through the same rigorous audition process. We support all our cheerleaders and are proud of the role they play as ambassadors of the organization." The message was one of unwavering support, emphasizing the professionalism and talent of every cheerleader, regardless of gender.
For Shiek, the journey to the Vikings’ sidelines was deeply personal. As he told NBC News, "I went to a lot of Vikings games with my family, mainly my dad. I was definitely watching the cheerleaders thinking, ‘I wish I could do that,’ being that role model for other little kids who don’t know that this is an option." His words reflect a broader shift in the world of professional cheerleading—a shift that has been underway for several years, even if it’s still met with resistance in some quarters.
About one-third of NFL teams now include male dancers on their cheer squads, a practice that began in earnest during the 2018 season with the Los Angeles Rams, as reported by The Independent. The move was seen as groundbreaking at the time, opening the door for greater inclusion and diversity across the league. In 2022, the Carolina Panthers broke another barrier by welcoming the NFL’s first openly transgender cheerleader to their squad. These milestones have been celebrated by many as signs of progress, but they’ve also sparked backlash from those who see them as departures from tradition.
It’s worth noting that male cheerleaders are hardly a new phenomenon in American sports. They’ve long been fixtures at the collegiate and high school levels, where their athleticism and acrobatics are often center stage. Even some of the nation’s most prominent political figures—former Republican presidents George W. Bush, Ronald Reagan, and Dwight Eisenhower—once donned the uniform as cheerleaders in their youth. Yet, as the NFL has attempted to modernize its image and embrace a more inclusive ethos, it’s found itself caught between competing cultural currents.
The reaction to Shiek and Conn’s presence on the Vikings cheer team comes at a time when conservative activists and politicians are working to reinforce traditional gender norms in both professional and amateur sports. According to The Independent, in February 2025, the Trump administration signed an executive order aimed at forcing schools and athletic organizations to bar transgender girls and women from competing in women’s sports. The NCAA and NAIA, two of the largest collegiate athletic conferences, have also enacted policies banning transgender women from women’s competitions. These moves have been hailed by some as necessary to preserve fairness in women’s sports, but criticized by others as discriminatory and out of step with the times.
The NFL, for its part, has struggled to find a balance between progressive messaging and the more conservative ideals held by large segments of its fanbase and ownership. The league’s efforts to address social issues have often been met with both praise and pushback. The 2016 season, for example, saw then-San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick and other Black players kneel during the national anthem to protest systemic racism—a move that ignited fierce debate nationwide. Kaepernick later said he believed his activism cost him his spot in the league, highlighting the risks athletes face when they step outside the bounds of what’s traditionally expected.
In this context, the outcry over the Vikings’ male cheerleaders is about more than just dance routines or sideline performances. It’s a flashpoint in a broader cultural debate about who gets to participate in public life—and on what terms. For critics like Sorbo and Kelly, the presence of men on an NFL cheer squad represents a threat to established norms and traditions. For supporters, it’s a welcome sign that the league is moving toward greater representation and acceptance.
What’s clear is that Shiek and Conn are not backing down. Their tongue-in-cheek response to online hate has resonated with many who see them as trailblazers, not just for themselves, but for the next generation of young fans who might be watching from the stands—or from home—and wondering if there’s a place for them in the world of professional sports. The Vikings organization’s public stance has also sent a message to the broader NFL community: talent and dedication matter more than outdated notions of who belongs on the field.
The inclusion of male and transgender cheerleaders in the NFL is just one chapter in the league’s ongoing evolution. As more teams embrace diversity and as debates over gender and inclusion continue to play out in the public square, the experiences of Shiek, Conn, and their colleagues will likely serve as touchstones for years to come. For now, though, they’re focused on what they do best: bringing energy, enthusiasm, and a bit of flair to every Vikings game—no matter what the critics might say.
The story of the Vikings’ male cheerleaders is a reminder that change, though often contentious, is an essential part of sports—and of society itself. As the NFL grapples with its identity in a rapidly changing world, voices like Shiek’s and Conn’s will continue to challenge, inspire, and, perhaps most importantly, remind everyone that there’s more than one way to cheer for your team.
