From dare to dream: Eagles cheerleader James LeGette on five seasons breaking stereotypes
The NFL cheer scene is evolving with more teams welcoming male cheerleaders to the sidelines.
This year, the Philadelphia Eagles feature a record number of men on their squad, including a hometown veteran who's been bringing energy to game days for five seasons.
Bucks County native James LeGette never planned on becoming a cheerleader. What began as a dare in middle school turned into a passion that changed his life and landed him on the NFL sidelines.
"I ended up loving it so I did it again in 8th grade, ended up being captain that same exact year," LeGette recalled. "I did cheer for a year in high school, and then I got introduced to dance."
Now, the special education teacher and Boys & Girls Club mentor is celebrating his fifth season with the Eagles cheerleaders. He's joined this year by rookies Alex Fan and Dalton Walsh, making up the team's largest male contingent on the cheer squad in franchise history.
For LeGette, the thrill never gets old.
"It's exhilarating. I absolutely love it. The passion that the fans have makes you want to cheer with them and be part with them. From where we are, you can literally feel the ground shaking from how loud it gets from their joy and excitement," he said.
Male cheerleaders have appeared in the NFL for decades. The Eagles had two back in 1984 before welcoming Kyle Tanguay in 2019. But while more men are stepping into the spotlight, not all responses have been positive. When the Minnesota Vikings recently added male cheerleaders to their roster, the move sparked backlash online.
LeGette, however, refuses to let negativity overshadow progress.
"No matter what other people say, that's just noise," he said. "We may be on different teams, but we all come to do the exact same thing — and that's dance. That's what we all love to do."
Representation, he says, is what makes the difference.
"Being able to be a part of something that includes you no matter what you look like or what you bring to the table is absolutely amazing. The fact that the Philadelphia Eagles does that is really important."
That sentiment resonates with Eagles cheer captain Taylor Sparks, now in her third season.
"When I was a little girl and I saw a Black girl cheering, that meant something to me — that showed me that I can also get out there and do that," Sparks said. "Even in the dance world, boys face that same stigma that some of these male NFL cheerleaders are. But they're brave."
As more young boys consider stepping into the sport, LeGette says he hopes to be an example for the next generation.
"If you have your mind set on something, you're able to do anything that you want to accomplish," he said.
With each high kick and cheer on the sidelines, LeGette and his teammates are proving that the future of the NFL cheer world is more inclusive than ever.