Did NFL cheerleaders used to be paid less?

Yes, dramatically. Some were effectively earning 2.75 dollars an hour once all hours were counted, and a former Buffalo Bills cheerleader reported being paid 105 dollars for an entire season while having to pay 600 dollars for her uniform.

What did the cheerleader lawsuits change?

Class-action wage suits led to settlements that reshaped pay. The Raiders moved to 9 dollars an hour plus overtime with biweekly paychecks, the Jets settled for 324,000 dollars, and many squads are now required to pay minimum wage for practice time.

Are NFL cheerleaders employees or independent contractors?

Teams historically classified them as independent contractors, which is exactly what the class-action lawsuits challenged — arguing they were employees entitled to minimum wage and overtime.

Do NFL cheerleaders get paid for practice?

Historically much practice and appearance time was unpaid. Following major settlements, many squads must now pay minimum wage for practice time.

How Much Do NFL Cheerleaders Make? About $150 a Game — and the Lawsuits That Forced Even That

Q: How much do NFL cheerleaders make?

Roughly 150 dollars per game on average, with the highest-paying squads — Dallas is the one most often named — reported nearer 500 dollars per game. US job-market data puts the average hourly rate around 21.68 dollars.

The gap between what people assume NFL cheerleaders earn and what they actually earn is one of the widest in professional sport. The short answer: roughly $150 a game. The longer answer is a legal story.

What They Earn Now

~$150 per game — the commonly cited average across the league
~$500 per game — reported for the highest-paying squads, with Dallas most often named
~$21.68/hour — the average hourly figure in US job-market data

Pay varies sharply by market. Big-market teams with major media deals pay near the top of that range; smaller-market squads sit at the bottom.

The Hours Nobody Counts

A per-game number flatters the reality, because game day is a fraction of the work. Squads rehearse for hours weekly, attend appearances and charity events, and are held to strict standards — historically much of it unpaid. That is precisely what the lawsuits were about.

How Bad It Was — the Numbers From the Cases

$2.75 an hour — what some cheerleaders were effectively earning once all hours were counted.
$1,250 for an entire season — reported for some squads.
$105 for a season — a former Buffalo Bills cheerleader’s reported pay, while being required to pay $600 for her own uniform. She finished the season having lost money.

The Lawsuits That Changed It

Beginning in the mid-2010s, former cheerleaders filed class-action wage lawsuits against NFL teams. The central question: were they employees entitled to minimum wage and overtime, or independent contractors as teams classified them?

The outcomes reshaped the job:

Raiders: after settlement, pay moved to $9 per hour plus overtime, with paychecks every two weeks instead of one lump sum at season’s end.
Jets: settled a cheerleaders’ wage suit for $324,000.
49ers: the Gold Rush squad saw pay improvements following litigation.
League-wide: after major settlements, many squads must now pay minimum wage for practice time — not just games.

The Comparison That Says It All

On the same field, on the same Sunday: an NFL referee earns an estimated $350,000 a season for part-time work, and a cheerleader earns about $150 a game. Both are performing a job the league sells tickets and broadcasts around.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How much do NFL cheerleaders make?

About $150 per game on average; top squads such as Dallas are reported nearer $500. Hourly job data averages around $21.68.

Were they paid less before?

Far less — some were effectively on $2.75/hour, and one former Bills cheerleader reported $105 for a whole season plus a $600 uniform cost.

What did the lawsuits change?

After settlements, many squads must pay minimum wage for practice time. The Raiders moved to $9/hour plus overtime and biweekly pay; the Jets settled for $324,000.

Are cheerleaders employees or contractors?

That classification was the core of the class actions — teams treated them as contractors, and the suits challenged it.

Do they get paid for practices and appearances?

Historically much of that work was unpaid. Post-settlement, many squads are required to pay for practice time.

Pay figures and case details per ABC News, Fox News, ZipRecruiter job data and legal summaries of NFL cheerleader wage litigation; team-level pay is often reported rather than officially disclosed and varies by squad. Photo: Pro Bowl cheerleaders with the Pro Bowl trophy, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Shubham — Writer and Editor

Every article on BoyX News is researched, written and edited by Shubham. There is no content team and no outside contributors. More about how these are written.