(NewsNation) — Kat Puryear, a former Dallas Cowboys cheerleader, is calling for higher pay and more benefits for the squad.
She was one of the elite athletes featured in Netflix’s recent documentary, “AMERICA’S SWEETHEARTS: Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders,” which showed an inside look at the cheerleaders’ world.
Puryear made waves online after posting on social media that her DCC paychecks mirrored those of a fast-food worker.
“There’s no sugar coating it. I did what I had to do, because I wanted this to be my whole entire life,” Puryear told “NewsNation Prime.” “I would take on nanny jobs, part time jobs, front desk jobs that were super flexible so I could get the most out of it.”
She believes that, since the cheerleaders aren’t bringing in as much as the players, their pay doesn’t have to be equal — but something does need to change.
“I don’t think we should be making $800,000, even though that’d be sick as a cheerleader,” she said. “However, do I think we should be getting benefits? Absolutely.”
Puryear left the team in 2022 after four years cheering. She now works in commercial leasing.
Charlotte Jones, the Dallas Cowboys’ chief brand officer and daughter of owner Jerry Jones, told the Dallas Morning News:
“The facts are that they actually don’t come here for the money. They come here for something that’s actually bigger than that to them. They have a passion for dance. There are not a lot of opportunities in the field of dance, and to get to perform at an elite level … It is about being a part of something bigger than themselves. It is about a sisterhood that they were able to form, about relationships that they have for the rest of their lives,” said Jones.
“Yes, it is about sisterhood and passion. Absolutely. I met my best friends,” Puryear said in response. “However, we can still have best friends [and] I’m still paid fairly for my job in commercial leasing. Both are doable.”