Male cheerleaders are making NFL history this season - New York Post

Are you ready for some … male cheerleaders?

The Los Angeles Rams are set to break NFL ground by becoming the first team to have male performers on its cheerleading squad. The two California natives, Quinton Peron and Napoleon Jinnies, were among 76 finalists who auditioned for the 40-member spirit team, ABC News reports.

Peron said he recently attended a Lakers game in Los Angeles and realized that he might be missing out.

"And I was asking myself, 'Why can't I be down there?'" Peron said Wednesday during an interview on "Good Morning America."

"I've choreographed for girls who danced on pro teams, I've danced with girls on various pro teams, so I thought: 'Why not me? Why can't I do this?'"

Peron then showed up for auditions, where he "danced his heart out," he said.

Both Peron and Jinnies are classically trained dancers with years of experience, but Jinnies said this particular set of auditions was especially rigorous.

"This one was about three weeks long and we had a bunch of rehearsals in between and an extensive interview process, but it was really humbling and amazing to be invited every time you came back," he said. "High emotions, but it was worth it."

Team captain Emily Leibert said the "intelligent" and "eloquent" men are the perfect fit to break barriers in the testosterone-laden NFL.

"They really just fit the bill to be a Los Angeles Ram cheerleader," she said. "They are more than qualified to be ambassadors out in the community. They bring so much energy and there's something so magnetic about their performance. You really can't take your eyes off them."

The Baltimore Ravens and Indianapolis Colts have male stuntmen, but those performers don't dance with women, making Peron and Jinnies an "all-time first," according to "GMA" anchor Robin Roberts.

A video on Twitter introducing the team Wednesday, complete with video montages of Peron and Jinnies, quickly caught the eyes of some fans.

"Nice video, but there is a slight problem," one man replied. "THERE ARE 2 GUYS DANCING in the montage. Please remove them immediately."

One reply read: "Why? They're two of the rookie cheerleaders. They competed with hundreds of other hopefuls and got the spots. Bravo, ladies and gents."

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