NFL male cheerleading pioneer defends Vikings performers amid preseason outcry

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The Minnesota Vikings’ male cheerleaders sparked a debate among NFL fans in the preseason even as the franchise was far from the first to have them on their sideline.

Napoleon Jinnies, who was the first male cheerleader in the NFL when he performed for the Los Angeles Rams in 2018, came out in defense of Blaize Shiek and Louie Conn.

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Cheerleader Napoleon Jinnies during a preseason game at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Aug. 24, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Harry How/Getty Images)

Jinnies told People in a recent interview that the outrage around male cheerleaders was nothing new.

"I’m rolling my eyes," he told the magazine. "They’re not saying anything new."

Jinnies recalled his own journey going from competitive cheerleading in college to trying to make a profession out of his passion. He wasn’t the only male cheerleader on the team either.

He said critics sent nasty messages on social media and were heckling them at games. He said the comments and criticism didn’t bother him because they weren’t attacking his cheering or dancing abilities.

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Minnesota Vikings cheerleader Blaize Shiek performs before the NFL Preseason 2025 game against the New England Patriots at U.S. Bank Stadium on Aug. 16, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)

"The comments from people who were from my childhood to preteen to college were the exact same comments from these random adults," he