Minnesota Vikings male cheerleader Blaize Shiek is not letting the critics bring him down over his appearance on the squad.

Vikings male cheerleaders (Photo via Instagram)
In 2025, the NFL is seeing a significant increase in male cheerleaders across multiple teams.

The Minnesota Vikings added two male dancers for 2025: Blaize Shiek and Louie Conn. They have received the most backlash, and even more so since one of them is firing back.

It began with the Vikings announcing that two male cheerleaders had joined the Minnesota Vikings Cheerleaders (MVC) for the 2025 season.

While many praised the move as a step forward for inclusivity and representation in the NFL, others expressed frustration, with some even threatening to cancel season tickets or boycott the team.

Blaize Shiek seemed to address the controversy by poking fun at all of the people discussing him.

“Wait…did someone say our name?” Shiek wrote in a post on Instagram that included a photo of himself and Conn in their cheer uniforms.

Shiek had his right arm in the air while holding a pom-pom as his good friend smiled and posed for the camera. Conn also shared the post on his page.

The backlash might be never-ending, but it’s a practice that won’t be ending anytime soon since at least 12 teams in the league now feature male cheerleaders.

Not everybody is a critic of the two male cheerleaders.

Joy Taylor Lights Up Critics Over Taking Aim At Blaize Shiek and Louie Conn

HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 03: Joy Taylor attends the world premiere of “Ballerina”, presented by Lionsgate, at TCL Chinese Theatre on June 03, 2025 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Maya Dehlin Spach/WireImage
The Minnesota Vikings were criticized on social media ahead of the start of the preseason schedule because the team had two male cheerleaders.

Blaize Shiek and Louie Conn have been the poster children of the criticism.

Pictures of Shiek in a Vikings cheerleading uniform sparked a frenzy and a debate about male cheerleaders in the NFL.

Joy Taylor, who lost her job at Fox Sports, hit back at them last week.

In response, Joy Taylor wrote, “So teaching kids slavery was not a big deal is acceptable, but male cheerleaders is where ‘conservatives’ draw the line,” as she added laughing emojis.

Taylor continued: “Also, this isn’t new, so as usual, outrage over nothing.”