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The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders have secured a massive "400 percent" pay rise, following a collective effort by veteran members to push for better wages. Season 2 of Netflix's America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders documents the journey that led to this milestone for the iconic team.
In Season 1, it was revealed that the cheerleaders earned just $500 per game, in addition to hourly wages for practice and limited appearance fees. Many cheerleaders had to take on multiple jobs to manage financially. Ahead of Season 2's release, returning cheerleader Jada McLean told Us Weekly, "It's a tough topic to start to have conversations [about]. But we were pretty serious, as leaders, this was something that we really wanted to see a change happen."
McLean was one of several cheerleaders—along with Amanda, Armani, Kleine, Marissa, and Megan—who led negotiations with the Cowboys organization during the 2024–2025 season. They initially planned a walkout after contracts failed to reflect the changes they had advocated for. However, the plan was leaked internally and never came to fruition. "A walkout was something that we talked about, but at the end of the day, we knew we all wanted to be on that field," said McLean. "But still stand firm in what we believed in."
Despite the failed walkout, the cheerleaders' persistence paid off. In the season finale, it's revealed that the team received a "400 percent" salary increase. "It's a very great change and I think the girls are gonna benefit a lot from it moving forward," McLean said. "It's gonna take a lot of the financial stresses out of their lives, which is something that we wanted to see."
While McLean has now retired after five years with DCC, she remains proud of the legacy left behind. "I've struggled financially on this team and that was something that I didn't want anyone else to have to deal with while they're cheerleaders."
Director Kelli Finglass told Us Weekly, "We're thrilled that the girls are happy with the enhancements that are made. We had a great season with the cheerleaders."
Choreographer Judy Trammell also acknowledged the rise of influencing among cheerleaders, saying, "It was a new thing for us to hear about and that a lot of them have quit their jobs to become full-time influencers."
Season 2 of America's Sweethearts is now streaming on Netflix.
