Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Salary Will Surprise You
NFL cheerleaders make around $125 per game and a total of $22,500 per season. In comparison, NFL waterboys typically earn $53,000 and mascots earn $25,000.
Some of the highest-paid NFL cheerleading teams include the Los Angeles Rams Cheerleaders, the New England Patriots Cheerleaders, and the San Francisco 49ers Gold Rush.
These teams are also believed to pay their cheerleaders significantly more than the average salary for NFL cheerleaders, around $125 per game.
Nonetheless, some NFL cheerleaders earn significantly higher salaries. For instance, the Carolina TopCats earn an annual salary of $75,000.
Amid this, Teri Hatcher was the highest-paid NFL cheerleader who cheered for the San Francisco 49ers in 1984. Teri has a $50 million net worth.
Cheerleaders Lawsuits For Wage Theft
Former DDC cheerleader Erica Wilkins filed a lawsuit against the Cowboys organization claiming lost wages in 2018.
Wilkins argued that cheerleaders were paid less than the team’s mascot, a costumed cowboy, played by a male earning $65,000 annually plus commission.
The performers were compensated with a flat rate for games and appearances, such as calendar signings, and $8 per hour for practices, barely exceeding the minimum wage.
Wilkins further alleged that she worked uncompensated hours, including numerous hours at AT&T Stadium, the $1.2 billion football arena owned by the 2017 NFL Hall Of Fame Inductee Jerry Jones, and was not paid overtime for working more than 40 hours per week.
According to the New York Post, her yearly after-tax earnings were only $4,700. In addition to Wilkins’ case, many NFL cheerleaders have been fighting for fair wages for decades, with some earning as little as $5 per hour.
Multiple lawsuits were filed by these cheerleaders against 10 out of 26 NFL teams for wage theft, discrimination, and unsafe working conditions in 2021. The suits included teams like the New York Jets, the Buffalo Bills, the Cincinnati Bengals, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The Tampa Bay cheerleaders’ lawsuit was settled for an estimated $825,000, while the Ben-Gals case was settled for an estimated $255,000.
