(Photo from Blaize Shiek’s Facebook)
Minnesota Vikings cheerleaders Blaize Shiek and Louie Conn are making headlines ahead of the NFL’s next season, drawing support and ire from football fans.
In May, Shiek posted to Instagram to share his excitement joining the team.
“Rookie Year Excited and honored to share that I am officially a 2025-26 Minnesota Vikings Cheerleader! I am so grateful for this journey, the support, and the opportunity to make a little history along the way. I hope to represent and inspire what’s possible when you stay true to who you are. MVC Blaize,” he wrote.
At the time, there was no backlash from him joining the team. However, once the Viking Cheerleaders shared their new team lineup Aug. 9 on a social media post, the additions quickly gained attention.
Male cheerleaders are not a new addition to the NFL but the duo has faced criticism for their roles. Shiek in particular has received a lot of attention because of his large social media following.
While he hasn’t made a statement directly, he did share a post on Instagram alluding to the situation. Dressed in uniform with pom poms in hand, Sheik and his teammate Conn posed proudly.
“Wait…did someone say our name?” Shiek wrote.
The Minnesota Vikings sent a statement addressing the backlash to Newsweek.
“While many fans may be seeing male cheerleaders for the first time at Vikings games, male cheerleaders have been part of previous Vikings teams and have long been associated with collegiate and professional cheerleading,” the Minnesota Vikings shared.
In the upcoming 2025 football season, there will be at least 12 teams that have male cheerleaders on their squad including the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
On the field and in social media posts, Shiek and Conn have remained positive and are gearing up for the upcoming season.
