NFL cheerleading

Twenty-five of the thirty-two National Football League (NFL) teams have cheerleading squads who perform on the sideline during games. In 1954, the Baltimore Colts became the first NFL team to have cheerleaders. Apart from the New York Giants, every current NFL franchise has had cheerleaders at some point in its history.

Cheerleading in the NFL is a part-time job. In addition to their main duties of cheering during the football games, cheerleaders may have other responsibilities related to marketing the team for which they cheer, such as paid appearances, photo shoots, and charity events.

As well as being a mainstay of American football culture, cheerleaders are one of the biggest entertainment groups to regularly perform for the United States Armed Forces overseas with performances and tours being enlisted by the USO. Teams send their variety show, an elite group of their best members, to perform combination shows of dance, music, baton twirling, acrobatics, gymnastics, and more. In February 2007, the Buffalo Bills even sent a squad of eight along with their choreographer into the war zone of Iraq. In 1996, the San Francisco 49ers Cheerleaders and their director helicoptered into the war inflicted country of Bosnia with the USO and the U.S. Army. The U.S. troops in Korea have been entertained during the holiday season with the USO's Bob Hope Tour. Over the years, the tour has featured NFL cheerleaders from the Dallas Cowboys, San Francisco 49ers, and Washington.