We’re going to say it like they do within the South — bless his coronary heart.
Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) says that if NFL groups within the South determine to comply with the Minnesota Vikings’ lead and rent male cheerleaders, they’re going to have a “huge problem.”
The Alabama Republican’s declare got here almost two minutes into Tuesday’s episode of the “Outkick Hot Mic” podcast amid a MAGA phrase salad of a rant that included some not-so-subtle hints of homophobia.
“If you’re going to be woke and you’re going to try to, you know, take the men out of men’s sports … and say, ‘Okay, we’re gonna make it more about gender than we are about masculinity,’” Tuberville started. “Then you’re gonna have a huge problem.”
Tuberville went on to say that as a result of the Vikings are primarily based in Minnesota, a “blue state,” they’re “more about socialism” and are attempting to push a story.
“I hope to God it doesn’t come south to Atlanta or to Texas or to Dallas, or some of our NFL teams, because you’ll lose it,” Tuberville mentioned. “I mean, people will actually quit buying tickets and going because this is the narrative they’re trying to push.”
“This is not just about a couple of people being men cheerleaders,” he added. “It is about pushing a narrative that you want to put gender into sports, and let everybody know that we’re trying to show that, hey, we’re going to take the masculinity out of it a little. And that’s not going to happen in the South.”
Regardless of Tuberville’s implication that Dallas and Texas are two completely different entities — Dallas is, in fact, a metropolis in Texas — the suggestion that soccer followers within the South wouldn’t help their groups in the event that they employed male cheerleaders is fairly laughable. Particularly since at the least three NFL groups within the South have already got them — the New Orleans Saints, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Tennessee Titans.
Tuberville’s declare that the left is making an attempt to push some narrative about gender in sports activities can also be bizarre, contemplating it’s the GOP that has an obsession with transgender youngsters taking part in sports activities.
As for the backlash the Vikings have acquired for hiring two new male cheerleaders, Louie Conn and Blaize Shiek, for his or her 2025 roster, the workforce is standing agency on their choice.
“While many fans may be seeing male cheerleaders for the first time at Vikings games, male cheerleaders have been part of previous Vikings teams and have long been associated with collegiate and professional cheerleading,” a press release from the workforce reads, per Immediately.
“In 2025, approximately one third of NFL teams have male cheerleaders. Every member of the Minnesota Vikings Cheerleaders program has an impressive dance background and went through the same rigorous audition process. Individuals were selected because of their talent, passion for dance and dedication to elevating the game day experience.”
