The Minnesota Vikings have added two male dancers, Blaize Shiek and Louie Conn, to their 2025 cheerleading squad, unveiling the pair in a 9 August social-media video that featured Conn opening with a back-flip. The clip quickly drew tens of thousands of comments and ignited debate about gender roles on National Football League sidelines. Conservative figures amplified the backlash. Former college-football coach and Alabama Republican Senator Tommy Tuberville questioned the move on OutKick’s “Hot Mic” podcast, asking league officials “what the hell” they were doing and warning that the NFL risked alienating ticket-buyers if “masculinity” disappeared from the sport. The Vikings issued a written response saying male cheerleaders have long been part of the organisation and now appear on roughly one-third of NFL rosters. All candidates, the team said, passed the same rigorous audition and were selected for their dance ability and game-day presence. Male cheerleaders from other franchises, including Philadelphia Eagles performers Dalton Walsh, James LeGette and Alex Fan, voiced support on ABC’s “Good Morning America,” urging their colleagues to “keep dancing.” Since the Los Angeles Rams and New Orleans Saints first fielded dancing male cheerleaders in 2018, at least a dozen clubs have followed suit. The episode highlights the league’s recurring role in U.S. culture-war skirmishes as it heads into the 2025 season. The Vikings open on 8 September in Chicago and host Atlanta on 14 September, with Shiek and Conn expected to remain on the sidelines despite the controversy.