The Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders have landed a massive pay raise and it comes alongside the success of their Netflix docuseries.
On Wednesday (June 18), along with the season two premiere of America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, it was announced that the squad received a 400 percent pay increase. Megan McElaney, who's been a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader for four years said the pay bump was among "new changes" for the ladies.
"Our efforts were heard and they wanted to give us a raise," McElaney said in the episode, per ABC News. "And we ended up getting a 400 percent increase, which is like, life-changing."
Former cheerleader Jada McLean added that "happy" wasn't enough to define the achievement. "I think I was just... kind of felt, like, a relief – like everything had paid off. And it was, you know, finally, we were done fighting," she said.
In a New York Times report, McLean revealed that she made $15 an hour and $500 per appearance during the 2024 football season, but with an increase, "veteran cheerleaders could now be making more than $75 an hour."
With Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders being considered part-time employees, their benefits do not include health insurance, although they have access to team doctors and physical therapists.
In 2019, the cheerleaders' pay doubled from $200 to $400 after the Cowboys settled a lawsuit with former cheerleader Erica Wilkins.
Last year, the team's starting QB Dak Prescott signed a new contract extension, which made him the highest-paid player in NFL history.
Prescott agreed to a four-year, $240 million contract extension with the Cowboys. The extension now puts Prescott at the top of the list of highest-paid NFL players and will have him in a Cowboys jersey through the 2028 season.
According to ESPN, Prescott's deal also included a record guarantee of $231 million and a $80 million signing bonus.
