The Minnesota Vikings are showing support for the team’s two male cheerleaders, Blaize Shiek and Louie Conn, who have faced homophobic and hateful backlash since being announced as members of the 2025 squad.

The Minnesota Vikings are showing support for the team’s two male cheerleaders who have faced homophobic and hateful backlash since joining the squad. CNN’s Boris Sanchez speaks with Napoleon Jinnies of the Los Angeles Rams cheer squad about the issue.

The Minnesota Vikings received an onslaught of backlash on social media after it hired two male cheerleaders, Louie Conn and Blaize Shiek. Earlier this month, the NFL team softly announced on Instagram that its cheer squad had a few new additions.

The Vikings are coming off a draft with limited picks, but they're now heading into 2026 reloaded. General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has shown he can build a roster through free agency, but the draft remains a work in progress. He has improved significantly since his first class in 2022, but 2026 is expected to be a pivotal year.

The Vikings' 2022 draft class is one of their worst in recent memory. One analyst believes the team should cut one of the two remaining members.

One thing that general managers love to do in the NFL Draft is select former five-star recruits. Minnesota Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah did just that in April when he selected Georgia Bulldogs defensive lineman Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins.