Overview

• Blaize Shiek and Louie Conn remain on the 2025-26 Vikings cheer roster after performing in the preseason opener at U.S. Bank Stadium.
• The team issued an official statement noting that male cheerleaders have long been part of its organization and that no season-ticket deposits have been returned.
• A widely shared social-media post claiming Shiek quit the squad to avoid distracting quarterback JJ McCarthy was refuted by multiple fact-checks.
• Online critics have threatened to cancel tickets over the inclusions even as supportive voices highlight the athletes as role models for gender diversity.
• Outsports data shows roughly a third of NFL teams now feature male cheerleaders, underlining a growing league-wide trend.