When former NFL star Torrey Smith decided to weigh in on the recent backlash over male cheerleaders in the Minnesota Vikings 2025 squad, he brought his A-game. Smith’s response to the internet’s predictable uproar was nothing short of legendary. Let’s just say, it was the virtual equivalent of a touchdown dance.
In May, the Minnesota Vikings announced that Blaize Shiek and Louie Conn had made the cheerleading squad for the 2025 season. So, what’s the problem? Oh, just that the internet exploded with complaints from people who seem to think the football world is strictly reserved for attractive, cisgender women. (Yes, that argument again.)
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But instead of backing down or staying silent, Smith, who’s a two-time Super Bowl champion, took to X (formerly Twitter) on August 13 to call out the nonsense. He didn’t mince words, either.
“I started a youth football program in West Baltimore a few months ago. It’s been extremely time-consuming and expensive! We added cheer, and I was asked if I would have a problem with a boy cheering,” Smith shared. “If he wants to cheer, let him cheer.”
That, folks, is how you set the record straight.
Let’s be clear: Smith wasn’t just talking about cheerleading. He was talking about inclusion, empowerment, and just letting people do what they love. His stance shouldn’t have been controversial, but in a world where everyone feels entitled to judge others for existing outside of their narrow expectations, it’s no surprise it sparked some drama.
And honestly, this isn’t even new territory. The NFL, ever the trendsetter (whether they want to admit it or not), has already had male cheerleaders for a few years now. In fact, the Los Angeles Rams made history in 2018 by introducing the first male cheerleaders. Fast forward to 2022, and the Carolina Panthers made headlines again by hiring the league’s first out transgender cheerleader, Justine Lindsay, who’s back on the squad this year. As of last season, a total of 18 men across seven NFL teams were shaking their pom-poms right alongside their female counterparts. And guess what? Half of all collegiate cheerleading teams feature men as well, according to a UCLA study. So really, what’s all the fuss about?
Of course, Smith’s vocal support didn’t go unnoticed. But the internet had feelings. Critics, most of whom can’t seem to fathom a reality where men and women can both cheer without it being some huge issue, accused Smith of letting male cheerleaders “take the place of a deserving female performer.” Smith, ever the master of concise rebuttals, shot back with the ultimate mic-drop moment:
“No MF he is just on the team. He ain’t bothering anyone.”
Boom. The clapback we didn’t know we needed.
But Smith wasn’t done yet. His views on inclusion don’t stop with male cheerleaders.
“We also have a girl football player on one of our teams,” he added in his post. “I told her she is my favorite player … she is a beast!”
The real takeaway here? Smith is proving that inclusion isn’t a trend—it’s a mindset. Whether it’s a male cheerleader or a girl dominating on the football field, people deserve to play the roles they love without being weighed down by someone else’s outdated expectations.
So, while some are busy clutching their pearls over the idea of diversity in cheerleading, Torrey Smith is out here making the world a better, more inclusive place, one tweet at a time. And for that, we salute him.
But honestly, if this is what NFL Twitter looks like these days, we’re here for it.