Me last week: couldn't care less about cheerleading, could barely identify a pom-pom. Me this week: entire personality is season 3 of Netflix's addictive docuseries, America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders.

In case you haven't watched just yet, the docuseries pulls back the curtain on the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders’ 2025 season—from auditions, to training camp, to the playoffs. Basically, just like last season with one key difference: thanks to the cheerleaders' collective bargaining efforts, they're finally being paid more.

Before we get into it, please be advised that the DCC are so much more than “just cheerleaders.” Yes, a huge part of their job is learning dozens of routines, but they're also brand ambassadors for the Dallas Cowboys who work every game plus events—all while undergoing huge amounts of scrutiny and holding down multiple jobs to make ends meet. Basically, it's a ton of extremely physical and emotional work, and you'd think they'd be cashing in. But that hasn't always been the case.

How Much Do the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Get Paid?

The issue of payment (or lack thereof) was raised in season 1, when former team cheerleader Kat revealed she made about as much as a full-time Chick-fil-A worker (around $37,881/year).

Even more shocking, Dallas Cowboys owner and chief brand officer Charlotte Jones, owned up to how little the team was being paid and seemed...fine with it?

"There's a lot of cynicism around pay for NFL cheerleaders—and as it should be," Jones said. "They're not paid a lot. But the facts are is that they actually don't come here for the money. They come here for something that's actually bigger than that to them. They have a passion for dance. There are not a lot of opportunities in the field of dance to get to perform at an elite level. It is about being a part of something bigger than themselves. It is about a sisterhood that they were able to form. About relationships that they have for the rest of their life. They have a chance to feel like they're valued, that they're special, and that they are making a difference."

Obviously, there was a lot of backlash to this sentiment. Especially since the average salary for an NFL player is $3.2 million while the minimum salary is $840,000.

As you might expect, the team was well aware that viewers were shocked by their salaries, and went into season two ready to make changes. Collective bargaining was led by Jada, Amanda, Armani, Kleine, Marissa, and Megan—and while they were unable to negotiate more money for the 2024 DCC season, they ended things on a positive note. Like, very positive. The team found out that they were getting 400 percent raises. As veteran dancer Armani (who has since retired) put it, “I love the fact that I made change for the girls that are coming up behind me, even if I'm not getting a chance to benefit.”

So, what are they making now? If they were earning somewhere around ~$38,000, you’d think that they were now making somewhere around ~$152,000. However, Megan McElaney—who helped lead the effort to renegotiate contracts—hopped into a fan’s TikTok comments after the release of season 2 and revealed that she's not making quite that much…

They Used to Make Wayyyyy Less

Back in the day, the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders were paid just $15 per game (this went up to $35 in the 1980s), and many of the early cheerleaders said they were "surprised" to get paid at all because they thought it was an "honorary position."

Meanwhile, former cheerleader Tina Kalina told Netflix's doc crew, "These millennials, X-Gen, whatever they're called, they do look at it as a job, where us old-timers look at it as more of a privilege."

One Cheerleader Sued Over the Lack of Pay

In 2018, cheerleader Erica Wilkins sued the Cowboys, claiming she made just $4,700 after taxes for the year. She also alleged that cheerleaders were being paid just $8.00 per hour for practice and didn't make overtime. The suit was settled, and the cheerleaders' game-day pay was raised to $400 a game. Which...still seems like several thousand dollars too little.

Are They Allowed to Become Influencers?

The Huffington Post spoke to an anonymous former Cowboys cheerleader from 2021 who said she was paid $12.50 per hour. She also said the cheerleaders weren't allowed to supplement their income with sponcon or influencing.

This has since changed, as America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders season 2 showcased the team—including Kelli!—learning the ropes of influencing and growing their brands.