In a fiery critique of the NFL’s evolving culture, former college football head coach and current U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville has taken aim at the league’s decision to include male cheerleaders, accusing teams like the Minnesota Vikings of undermining the sport’s masculine roots. Tuberville, a staunch supporter of traditional values and a vocal ally of former President Donald Trump, expressed his dismay in an interview with OutKick, calling for NFL leadership to halt what he describes as a “woke” agenda threatening the essence of America’s favorite sport.
“What the hell are you doing?” Tuberville demanded, addressing NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and team owners. “If you’re going to try to take the men out of men’s sports and make it more about gender than masculinity, you’re going to have a huge problem.”
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US Senator Tommy Tuberville has slammed the NFL for its inclusion of male cheerleaders
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The Minnesota Vikings became the latest team to include male cheerleaders this season
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The Minnesota Vikings’ male cheerleader Blaize Shiek appeared to take a dig at his critics
The controversy erupted after the Minnesota Vikings recently added two male cheerleaders, Blaize Shiek and Louie Conn, to their 2025 sideline squad—a move that sparked immediate backlash from some fans, with a few even threatening to cancel their season tickets. Tuberville, who has long opposed policies allowing biological men to compete in women’s sports, sees the inclusion of male cheerleaders as part of a broader push to dilute the NFL’s traditionally masculine image.
“This isn’t just about a couple of guys cheerleading,” Tuberville argued. “It’s about pushing a narrative to inject gender politics into sports and strip away the masculinity that defines it. You can see Minnesota doing it—they’re one of those blue states, lost to socialism and obsessed with 150 genders. But I hope to God this doesn’t spread South.”
The Vikings are not alone in embracing male cheerleaders. The trend began in 2018 when the Los Angeles Rams became the first NFL team to include men in their cheerleading squad. Since then, 11 other teams, including the New Orleans Saints, Carolina Panthers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Kansas City Chiefs, Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans, New England Patriots, San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles, and Baltimore Ravens, have followed suit. The Saints recently announced that their 2025 Cheer Krewe Roster will include 13 male cheerleaders, a decision made after replacing three female cheerleaders following tryouts.
The inclusion of male cheerleaders has not gone unnoticed by fans, particularly in Minnesota, where Shiek, a rookie cheerleader, subtly addressed the criticism in a social media post. “Wait… did someone say our name?” he wrote, seemingly mocking the uproar over his and Conn’s historic debut.
Tuberville, however, remains unapologetic in his stance, warning that the NFL risks alienating its core fanbase by embracing what he calls a “gender-focused” agenda. “The South won’t stand for this,” he declared. “We’re not going to let the NFL turn into something that doesn’t reflect the values of the fans who built this league.”