Yahoo Lifestyle How Much Does Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader Director Kelli Actually Make?
Kelli Finglass is back in the spotlight in a major way with the release of Netflix's new series, America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. While many are just discovering the lore behind becoming a part of the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders squad, Kelli Finglass single-handedly pulled back the curtain on the organization all the way back in 2006.
The iconic Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders are what they are today in large part because of Kelli's contributions to the squad, but where did it all begin and where is Kelli now? We're here to dive into all the nitty-gritty details behind Kelli Finglass and her role as the Director of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders.
Was Kelli Finglass a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader?
Hailing from Lindale, Texas (the same hometown as Miranda Lambert!), becoming a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader was the natural next step in Kelli's dance career. Kelli was a part of the DCC squad from 1984 until 1989. She was the first cheerleader to ever be invited back to the team without going through the audition process, something that would never fly now with Kelli leading DCC auditions and training camp.
Kelli was just 19 years old when she joined the team. She cheered for the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders for a complete five seasons, retiring at the age of 24, younger than many of the modern-day rookie candidates! Kelli, who was unmarried during her DCC tenure, cheered under her maiden name Kelli McGonagill.
She did not cheer on the same squad as her right-hand woman, Judy Trammel, although Judy was the team's assistant choreographer at the time. Judy was a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader from 1980 to 1984 and became the assistant choreographer the same year Kelli joined the team in 1984. As we learn in the Netflix docu-series, Kelli was a part of the same team as the moms of current DCCs Madeline and Victoria.
Where is Kelli Finglass now?
After being on the DCC squad for five years, Kelli retired from cheering, but she didn't go far. In 1989, the year she retired, Kelli was appointed assistant director to the Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones. She attributes Jerry's daughter Charlotte with securing her this job. She served as the assistant director in 1989 and 1990. In 1991, Kelly was promoted and became the Director of the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders.
If that position sounds familiar it's because that is the very same position Kelli holds today in 2024. Since joining the Cowboys franchise, Kelli earned a bachelor's degree in International Marketing from the University of North Texas and studied modern dance at TCU.
Kelli made it her mission as the Director of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders to transform the squad from a financial burden to a profitable branch of the franchise. From there the cheerleaders began posing for swimsuit calendars and selling merchandise. Eventually, the team landed their own show on CMT.
Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders: Making the Team first premiered in 2006 on CMT, chronicling the cutthroat process of the DCC squad selection from training camp to makeovers to the official yearly team reveal. Kelli served as the executive producer of the CMT show, which ran for 16 seasons. The show was finally cancelled in 2021 and the idea was then replicated by Netflix.
What is Kelli Finglass's Net Worth?
Of course, the Netflix show unveiled a deeper and darker layer of the cheerleaders' experiences than fans of the CMT show were used to seeing. One of the key problems that America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders revealed was the low wages of NFL cheerleaders.
DCC Class of 2022 alum, Kat, revealed on the docu-series that the squad's pay is equivalent to a full-time Chick-Fil-A worker's salary – a stark comparison to the multi-million dollar contracts offered to NFL players.
Although the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders have the most competitive pay in the NFL system, they reportedly earn about $15 to 20/hr which equates to about $75,000 per year. Nearly every DCC featured on the show juggled a second job on top of their grueling DCC schedule.
We know how much the cheerleaders make, but how much does their fearless leader Kelli bring home? Kelli's exact salary is not public knowledge, but her net worth is reportedly $1.5 million, according to CelebrityNetWorth.com. While her DCC salary has not been made public, we expect much of her wealth is tied to her work on the success of the squad's TV show.
Who is Kelli Finglass's Husband?
The Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders take up much of Kelli's time, but she does have a family of her own at home. Kelli never talks much about her personal life on the show, but we do get a few glimpses into her home away from AT&T Stadium.
Kelli married Joel Finglass in 1996 and the pair celebrated their 28th wedding anniversary this year. They share two children together, their son Ryan, 25, and their daughter Samantha, 27. Surprisingly, Kelli's only daughter, Samantha, did not follow in her mother's lofty DCC footsteps, but we can't blame her.
Kelli and Joel live outside of Dallas in Coppell, Texas. Kelli isn't the only sports leader in the family as Joel serves as a coach for a local lacrosse team. Kelli revealed in the Netflix series that Joel is Jewish, and Kelli is known to attend Tambourine Church on Sundays. Not much else is known about Kelli's family and personal life, but it's seems her hectic DCC schedule leaves little time for personal endeavors.
If you haven't already watched America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders on Netflix, this is your sign to start!
You Might Also Like
