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The Minnesota Vikings came under fire on social media ahead of the start of the preseason schedule because the team had two male cheerleaders on its squad.
Blaize Shiek and Louie Conn have fired back at critics in social media posts.
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Minnesota Vikings cheerleader Blaize Shiek performs before the NFL Preseason 2025 game against the New England Patriots at U.S. Bank Stadium on August 16, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
“Wait…did someone say our name?” Shiek wrote in a post on Instagram with Conn ahead of the Vikings’ preseason game against the New England Patriots.
Pictures of Shiek in a Vikings cheerleading uniform sparked a frenzy and a debate about male cheerleaders in the NFL. The Los Angeles Rams were the first organization to have male cheerleaders, which occurred in 2018. The Baltimore Ravens also featured several men on their cheerleading squad.
The Carolina Panthers had the first transgender cheerleader on its squad until this year.
The Vikings put out a statement in defense of Shiek and Conn.
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Aug 16, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; The Minnesota Vikings cheerleaders lead the crowd during the third quarter against the New England Patriots at U.S. Bank Stadium. (Jeffrey Becker/Imagn Images)
“Male cheerleaders have been part of previous Vikings teams and have long been associated with collegiate and professional cheerleading,” the team told NBC News. “We support all our cheerleaders and are proud of the role they play as ambassadors of the organization.”
It is Sheik’s first year as a Vikings cheerleader. He shared a post back in May, celebrating his rookie season.
“Excited and honored to share that I am officially a 2025-26 Minnesota Vikings Cheerleader!” he wrote on social media. “I am so grateful for this journey, the support, and the opportunity to make a little history along the way. I hope to represent and inspire what’s possible when you stay true to who you are.”
Minnesota Vikings cheerleader Louie Conn lines up with cheerleaders in the first quarter during the NFL Preseason 2025 game between New England Patriots and Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium on August 16, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (David Berding/Getty Images)
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Conn was a part of the Iowa State Cyclones dance team before he joined the Vikings this season.
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