History will be made this coming football season with the first NFL male cheerleaders to ever perform on the sidelines during a professional football game.
The New Orleans Saints and the Los Angeles Rams announced they will have male NFL cheerleaders performing on their cheerleading team for the first time.
Professional dancers Quinton Peron and Napoleon Jinnies both made the Los Angeles Rams cheerleader squad back in March and have been preparing for the upcoming season, according to CNN.
“Still can’t believe I’m one of the first males in history to be a pro NFL cheerleader! Everyone’s support and love has been insane! Thank you and GO RAMS” tweeted when he made the team.
Still can’t belive I’m one of the first males in history to be a pro NFL cheerleader! Everyone’s support and love has been insane! ? thank you and GO RAMS! @RamsNFL @LARamsCheer #LARams pic.twitter.com/srpkYiVmEI
— Napoleon Jinnies (@NapoleonJinnies) March 27, 2018
Other teams such as the Indianapolis Colts and the Baltimore Ravens have men who perform stunts with the female cheerleaders but Peron and Jinnies will be the first male cheerleaders to ever dance and perform the same routines alongside their teammates.
NFL male cheerleaders Quinton Peron and Napoleon Jinnies
Both dancers are from California and were among the 76 finalists who auditioned for the Rams cheerleading squad. The two dancers have been sharing updates about their journey becoming Rams cheerleaders on Twitter and Instagram.
Jesse Hernandez becomes first NFL male cheerleader for Saints
CNN notes that Peron and Jinnies’ efforts inspired 25-year-old dancer Jesse Hernandez to try out for the New Orleans Saints Saintstations team. The Sun Herald reports that his mother, Tracey Hernandez, heard the news about Peron and Jinnies becoming cheerleaders for the Los Angeles Rams and sent him a link to the story encouraging him to try out for the team.
“It’s your time to shine,” Hernandez wrote.
Hernandez, a Louisiana native, tried out for the Saintstations team in April and made the team, becoming the first NFL male cheerleader to make the New Orleans Saintstations.
Quinton Peron, Napoleon Jinnies and Jesse Hernandez will all be on the field and sidelines performing alongside their female cheerleader teammates when the Rams and Saints kick off the 2018 NFL season.
