Netflix announced on August 20, 2026, that it has renewed America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders for a fourth season set to premiere in 2027. The docuseries will follow a new mix of rookies and veterans throughout the 2026 to 2027 NFL season, tracking performers from competitive auditions through training camp and onto the field.
The renewal comes less than two months after the release of season three, which spent two weeks inside Netflix's global top 10 streaming charts across 22 countries, including the United States. Senior director Kelli Finglass and head choreographer Judy Trammell will return to lead the squad.
Finglass expressed her enthusiasm for the upcoming season in an August 20 press release. "Each new season is another opportunity to showcase the extraordinary talent, dedication and individuality of our team," Finglass shared. "We're proud to continue to share their stories and artistry with audiences, inspiring the next generation of young performers all over the world to dream big and pursue their passions."
The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders are the official cheerleading squad of the Dallas Cowboys, the National Football League franchise based in Frisco, Texas, playing at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. Netflix is an American subscription video-on-demand streaming platform based in Los Gatos, California.
New Roster and Key Departures
Prior to the Netflix announcement, the organization revealed its official roster for the 2026 to 2027 season on social media. "Officially earned their stars," the squad wrote in a July 16 post on Instagram. "Introducing your 2026-2027 Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders!"
The selection process welcomed eight new rookies to the team, including Amiyah Naulls, Haley Bogdon, Lexi Smith and Aubrey Rogers. Several dancers cut during the previous audition cycle also earned their spots back, including returning squad members Emily Awbrey, Brianne Lindenau and Savannah Dastrup.
However, fan favorite Reece Weaver confirmed she will not return after three seasons with the team. The 24-year-old cheerleader revealed her decision to step down was entirely her own, choosing to take a leap of faith to join the cast of Chicago on Broadway in New York City this fall.
Weaver addressed public speculation about her departure in a June interview with E! News following the season three finale of America's Sweethearts. "There's a lot of people that speculate that this wasn't necessarily my decision, like other outside things were pulling me," Weaver said. "A lot of people are always scared to stay in their box and be like, 'Well, this is it. There's no other step.' I just want to encourage people to be bold enough to take that leap."
She added that deciding to set down her pom-poms followed months of reflection. "I've been wrestling with this decision all throughout this past year and a lot of it came from just having a heart full of gratitude," Weaver said. "I really felt at peace that I was supposed to take a leap of faith and just trust that I might not know what's in store the next three months or so down the road."
Physical Demands and Severe Injuries
The docuseries highlights the severe physical toll required of team members, particularly from performing the squad's signature jump splits. Alum Caroline Sundvold, who appeared in the first season in 2024 alongside her younger sister and rookie Anna Kate Sundvold, revealed that a doctor advised her to undergo surgery after four seasons of jump-splitting damaged her joints into a permanently injured state.
"A hip surgery like that is a good three to six months recovery," Caroline shared on the show. "I was like, 'I really want to do one more year of cheerleading.' I just wanted to push through." She completed her fifth season before undergoing the operation, noting the sacrifice was worth it, though subsequent foot surgery proved surprisingly more traumatic.
"You would think hip surgery would be a little worse," Caroline said. "But the foot has so many nerves in it. So from the banquet until now I've just been recovering a lot, which has been a bit of a wake-up call." Her sister Anna Kate Sundvold, who made the 2023 squad, returned to the roster for the 2024 season.
Other squad members have also documented their medical treatments. Madeline Salter, who returned to cheer during the 2024 NFL season, posted several treatment sessions on Instagram showing visits to Kinetic Centre, a spine and sports rehab clinic, to address tension headaches and get her feet taped.
Dr. Kristina Myles, a chiropractic sports practitioner who treated Salter, explained the procedure in a social media video post showing Salter receiving care. Myles noted that "our focus is primarily correcting facial layers that can cause pain, stiffness, or loss of range of motion when injured or overworked."
Cheerleader Salaries and Multiple Jobs
Financial compensation for cheerleaders remains modest despite the squad's global notoriety. ESPN reported in 2017 that NFL team cheerleaders earned roughly $75 to $150 per game. Data from the Dallas Morning News indicated that cheerleader pay has since increased to closer to $400 per game, alongside hourly wages for time spent preparing for games and making public appearances.
Former cheerleader Kat Puryear discussed squad compensation on the Netflix series. "I would say I'm making, like, a substitute teacher," Puryear noted. "I would say I'm making, like, Chick-fil-A worker that works full-time."
Because cheerleading pay is limited, performers hold regular full-time jobs. Alum Kelcey Wetterberg worked as a pediatric registered nurse, while Reece Allman, formerly Weaver, worked at a Dallas florist to supplement her earnings while cheering in 2024.
Squad member Megan McElaney posted a video montage on Instagram detailing her schedule as "an NFL cheerleader with three jobs," starting with a 6:15 a.m. wakeup call. McElaney works full-time as a marketing and recruiting coordinator at Bluecrest Financial Alliances, according to her LinkedIn profile, works as a makeup artist for The Styling Stewardess, and attends evening practices at AT&T Stadium until 11 p.m.
Salter explained to E! News that squad members must manage their time rigorously. "DCC has taught a lot of us about time management," Salter said. "We've got to make sure that we have time for not only our jobs and DCC, but also ourselves."
Body Image Policy and Etiquette Coaching
The organization has modernized its approach to body image by utilizing custom-tailored uniforms for each performer's shape. Finglass, who has served as director since 1991, told E! News that the leadership team focuses on individual fitness rather than weight metrics.
"Trying to make that uniform fit and and have the most beautiful lines, we don't talk about weight," Finglass said. "The girls are all very good with their own nutrition, their own personal workouts. We have a gym adjacent to our dance studio." Finglass added that the program provides access to nutritionists and mental health experts, while official DCC audition website FAQs state: "You should look well-proportioned in dancewear. We DO NOT have specific height and weight requirements."
Finglass noted to The New York Times that while societal expectations have shifted since star-spangled uniforms debuted in 1972, the core responsibilities remain unchanged. "I think everything around the cheerleaders has changed," Finglass said. "And they're adapting to many things like social media and visibility. But at the core, they are world-class dancers, and a big part of what they do requires a servant's heart. That has been the case throughout our entire history."
The organization also provides dancers with an etiquette coach to prepare them for official appearances. "They go to dinners with high-ranking military officials," Finglass explained to the Times, "so they are put in situations that they may not have been exposed to yet as an 18- or 19-year-old from a small town." She added that the training helps dancers stay polished, poised and prepared in any setting.
Grooming Mandates and Alumni Networks
Performers handle their own hair and makeup before games, although dedicated makeup artists are provided for photo shoots. Sophy Laufer, who joined the squad in 2022, published a game-day preparation tutorial on TikTok. Official aesthetic rules prohibit red lipstick and red nail polish, requiring hair to be worn down, with styling supported by Tangerine Salon in Dallas.
Uniform rules mandate that all cheerleaders wear nude hosiery during games, and any tattoos must be fully concealed using makeup and bronzer. According to the team's official website, spray tans "should be warm without orange tones and with face and body color being similar. Facial features are 'lost' when a spray tan is too dark."
Head choreographer Judy Trammell told Entertainment Tonight that the docuseries captures philanthropic work that previous reality broadcasts ignored. Trammell noted that their former CMT show Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team, which ended in 2022 after 16 seasons, "didn't show the things we do the rest of the year," including USO tours, veterans hospital visits and children's hospital visits.
Retiring performers transition into an official alumni association named The Spirit of DCC. Finglass explained to E! News that the association supports dancers through the dramatic lifestyle change of leaving daily rehearsals. She noted that alumni maintain lifelong connections through major events like weddings, comparing her role to a schoolteacher watching students graduate into new careers.
