The NFL team Minnesota Vikings has for the first time selected male cheerleaders for its regular squad. Their debut during the weekend’s game quickly led to both criticism and praise on social media.

It was during the game against Las Vegas Raiders that Blaize Shiek and Louie Conn performed on the field for the first time together with the team’s other cheerleaders.

The phenomenon of male cheerleaders is not entirely unique, however. Twelve of the league’s 32 teams currently have male members in their cheerleading squads, which represents just over a third of the teams.

BREAKING: The NFL Minnesota Vikings are under backlash after officially brining out their lead male cheerleader for the football game today. pic.twitter.com/EeNEJzAAEr

— Dom Lucre | Breaker of Narratives (@dom_lucre) August 17, 2025

Previously, men have been present in NFL cheerleading activities primarily as so-called “lifters” or stuntmen, a tradition that teams like the Baltimore Ravens introduced as early as 1998.

Starting in 2018, several teams have gone further to also include male dancers in their squads. This marked a departure from the previous arrangement where dance roles were reserved exclusively for women.

Minnesota Vikings is now one of the teams that allows men to be integrated directly into the traditional cheerleader group. The two new members, Blaize Shiek and Louie Conn, are part of the squad on the same terms as the other cheerleaders.

Reactions have been mixed. Critical posts have spread on social media, but the team emphasizes that the audition process is open to everyone and that male cheerleaders are not something new within the league.

The question of male cheerleaders has repeatedly sparked debate in the United States, where some highlight inclusion and diversity while others argue that traditional elements of the sport are being changed.