New York Jets kicker Greg Zuerlein interrupted the Minnesota Vikings cheerleaders in a viral video, not the other way around, the cheerleaders’ head coach said on Instagram.
Jacie Scott went on the social media platform to correct headlines about Zuerlein practicing kicking the ball in the middle of the cheerleaders’ performance during Sunday night’s game between the Jets and Vikings in London.
Responding to a video from the game Sports Illustrated posted on Instagram with the caption, “The cheerleaders did not stop him from getting his work in,” Scott wrote on her Instagram story, “A more appropriate caption would be: ‘Vikings Cheerleaders don’t even flinch as Jets Kicker Greg Zuerlein interrupts their electric pregame performance with an inappropriate timed warm-up.’”
“It’s 2024,” she added. “Media should know by now that it’s okay to elevate NFL cheerleaders and share their contributions to the live entertainment atmosphere of NFL game days, rather than committing to tired tropes that incite derogatory commentary about these dance athletes. Do better.”
Neither the NFL nor the Vikings responded to a request for comment.
An NFL policy manual shared with HuffPost does appear to confirm that the cheer squad — not the kicker — had the right-of-way in this situation. Kickers and punters “must not interfere with pregame and halftime entertainment.” A 2022-23 operations manual appears to show the same type of language.
NFL cheerleaders have long struggled to be taken seriously. The Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders were the subject of a Netflix docuseries released this summer, where it was revealed that they are paid the same as fast-food workers. A former Dallas Cowboys cheerleader who joined the group in 2021 told HuffPost earlier this year that she was paid $12.50 per hour for practices and $400 for each game.
Back in January, Darian Lassiter, a Dallas Cowboy cheerleader, also spoke about the mistreatment cheerleaders sometimes face from athletes after she and her teammates were yelled at by some Green Bay Packers players during a game.
“It’s so crazy how they can’t do that to the Cowboys players or any other players, but they can do it to the cheerleaders and nothing’s going to happen,” Lassiter said. “I understand the playoffs is a huge deal. I truly get it, but that does not mean your humbleness and respect for women flies out the window.”
