Here's how NFL cheerleader uniforms have evolved over 50 years ·

02 Jun 2024, 00:00

Thething that's never changed? The women on the NFLsquads have always known how to rock a uniform, whether it's a turtleneck sweater and pleated skirt or a skintight, bedazzled pirate costume.

Here's a closer look at how the NFL's cheerleader uniforms have evolved over the decades.

NFL cheerleading squads first started to pop up in the 1960s. Back then, uniforms were a bit more conservative.

Associated Press

You dont often see cheerleaders in turtleneck sweaters today.

Associated Press

But as far back as the 1970s, there were midriff-baring uniforms like the ones popular today.

Associated Press

And most cheerleading squads still wear boots just like these:

Associated Press

Pom poms also quickly became a popular accessory.

Associated Press

And throughout the 70s, the uniforms only got skimpier.

Associated Press

The late 1980s and early 1990s brought lots of pizzazz to NFL cheerleading uniforms.

Getty/Pascal Rondeau/Allsport

The pom poms were gigantic.

Getty/Rick Stewart/Allsport

There were hats ...

Getty/George Rose

... and ruffles ...

Getty/George Rose

... and fringe ...

Getty/George Rose

... and sequins.

Getty/Allen Steele/Allsport

So. Many. Sequins.

Getty/George Rose

The Buffalo Bills cheerleading squad (known as the Buffalo Jills) was disbandedin 2014 after former members filed a lawsuit saying the cheerleaders were underpaid.

Dont forget leg warmers.

Getty/Otto Greule Jr./Allsport

And it wouldnt have been the 80s without some "Flashdance"-esque leotards.

Getty/Allsport

As always, cheerleader uniforms coordinated with the teams colors.

Getty/George Rose

And they got some climate-specific modifications. This uniforms great for sunny Miami but not so much for Minnesota or New England.

Getty/Allen Dean Steele/Allsport

Uniforms also reflected team names. The Patriots cheerleaders, for example, wore stars and stripes.

Getty/Rick Stewart/Allsport

And the Tampa Bay Buccaneers squad dressed like, well, buccaneers.

Getty/Allen Dean Steele/Allsport

The late 1990s and early 2000s brought two new trends. First, animal prints.

Getty/Doug Pensinger

Second: Rhinestones.

Getty/Doug Pensinger/Allsport

Sometimes they came in the same package.

Getty/Scott Halleran/Allsport

Crushed velvet made a brief appearance, too.

Getty/Jeff Gross/Allsport

Around 2000, cheerleaders started wearing uniforms that looked more like bathing suits than the traditional skirt-and-top ensemble.

Getty/Rick Stewart/Allsport

Some teams tightened and shortened old uniform concepts. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were still dressed like buccaneers just with more skin.

Getty/Andy Lyons/Allsport

The Dallas Cowboys cheerleading squad updated their classic uniform, too.

Getty/Ronald Martinez

The uniforms of the late 2000s were more likely to feature team logos...

Getty/Jim McIsaac

... even if they were very small.

Getty/Jeff Gross

Midriff-bearing uniforms became the norm, and the socks-and-sneakers look all but disappeared in favor of knee-high boots.

Getty/Christ Trotman

Starting in 2009, many squads added pink ribbons or outright pink uniforms for breast cancer awareness month in October.

Getty/Andy Lyons

The NFL's breast cancer awareness campaign has beenpraised and criticized. It hasdonated about $15 million to the American Cancer Society, partly through the sale of pink, NFL-branded products butonly a small percentage of money spent on this merchandise actually went to cancer research.

After 2010, there were fewer trend-based fluctuations though harem pants made a brief appearance on the gridiron.

Getty/Bob Levey

In the past few years, many cheerleaders tooka stand against apparently widespread mistreatment of women in the industry. In 2014, severalformer NFL cheerleadersfiled lawsuits saying thatthey'd been underpaid (sometimes netting just a few bucks an hour) and subject to cruel, sexist treatment.

One former cheerleader wrote in Cosmopolitan that she was pulled from a performance for weighing 127 pounds instead of 122. Some were fined for bringing the wrong pom poms or wearing the wrong clothes to rehearsals. Others were subjected to a humiliating "jiggle test" in which their bodies were scrutinized while they did jumping jacks.

Today, NFL cheerleader uniforms are simpler in design, with large blocks of solid color and fewer embellishments.

Getty/Rob Carr

But theres still room for a little sparkle as seen here on the cheerleaders for the New England Patriots.

Getty/Maddie Meyer

This Sunday, February 3, the Los Angeles Rams will be facing off against the New England Patriots.

Heres to all the cheerleaders who work hard to make football games a little more fun.

Getty/Tom Pennington

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Here's how NFL cheerleader uniforms have evolved over 50 years

Thething that's never changed? The women on the NFLsquads have always known how to rock a uniform, whether it's a turtleneck sweater and pleated skirt or a skintight, bedazzled pirate costume. Here's a closer look at how the NFL's cheerleader uniforms have evolved over the decades.

NFL cheerleading squads first started to pop up in the 1960s. Back then, uniforms were a bit more conservative.

You dont often see cheerleaders in turtleneck sweaters today.

But as far back as the 1970s, there were midriff-baring uniforms like the ones popular today.

And most cheerleading squads still wear boots just like these:

Pom poms also quickly became a popular accessory.

And throughout the 70s, the uniforms only got skimpier.

The late 1980s and early 1990s brought lots of pizzazz to NFL cheerleading uniforms.

The pom poms were gigantic.

There were hats ...

... and ruffles ...

... and fringe ...

... and sequins.

So. Many. Sequins.

Dont forget leg warmers.

And it wouldnt have been the 80s without some "Flashdance"-esque leotards.

As always, cheerleader uniforms coordinated with the teams colors.

And they got some climate-specific modifications. This uniforms great for sunny Miami but not so much for Minnesota or New England.

Uniforms also reflected team names. The Patriots cheerleaders, for example, wore stars and stripes.

And the Tampa Bay Buccaneers squad dressed like, well, buccaneers.

The late 1990s and early 2000s brought two new trends. First, animal prints.

Second: Rhinestones.

Sometimes they came in the same package.

Crushed velvet made a brief appearance, too.

Around 2000, cheerleaders started wearing uniforms that looked more like bathing suits than the traditional skirt-and-top ensemble.

Some teams tightened and shortened old uniform concepts. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were still dressed like buccaneers just with more skin.

The Dallas Cowboys cheerleading squad updated their classic uniform, too.

The uniforms of the late 2000s were more likely to feature team logos...

... even if they were very small.

Midriff-bearing uniforms became the norm, and the socks-and-sneakers look all but disappeared in favor of knee-high boots.

Starting in 2009, many squads added pink ribbons or outright pink uniforms for breast cancer awareness month in October.

After 2010, there were fewer trend-based fluctuations though harem pants made a brief appearance on the gridiron.

Today, NFL cheerleader uniforms are simpler in design, with large blocks of solid color and fewer embellishments.

But theres still room for a little sparkle as seen here on the cheerleaders for the New England Patriots.

This Sunday, February 3, the Los Angeles Rams will be facing off against the New England Patriots.

Heres to all the cheerleaders who work hard to make football games a little more fun.

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