As America's Sweethearts Continues To Crush On Netflix, I Really Appreciated One Former Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader's Emotional And Important Ask For Viewers

A bunch of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders in their practice uniforms standing together and holding hands.
(Image credit: Netflix)

I don’t know about you, but the second America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Season 1 ended last year, I was already looking forward to Season 2’s premiere on the 2025 TV schedule. Now, it’s finally available to watch with a Netflix subscription. However, as it continues to trend on the platform, one of the former DCC members shared an emotional and important ask for the viewers.

Last year, when this show dropped, it went viral. Fans were recreating the “Thunderstruck” dance and sharing their thoughts on the women who make up this prestigious cheerleading team. Kelcey Wetterberg was one of the leads during Season 1, as she was one of the leaders of the team. Now, she’s retired, and she took to Instagram to celebrate the new season that's currently sitting at No. 2 on Netflix and reflect on the impact the show made. She also asked the viewers to remember one important thing, writing:

One last ask…as you watch, try to remember that these girls are real people. We all have flaws & maybe make decisions that aren’t perfect. I ask that you remember the courage it took for them to be vulnerable and share their hearts with a massive audience.

Kelcey Wetterberg sitting on her couch with her left hand laying on a pillow.

(Image credit: Netflix)

Thinking specifically about the season of America’s Sweethearts that just premiered on Netflix’s 2025 schedule, there are some dramatic and vulnerable moments throughout. For example, there’s a fair amount of time dedicated to one cheerleader, Chandi, breaking a DCC rule on the team’s trip to the Bahamas by bringing a stranger to their hotel. That situation caused a lot of tension on the team and speculation online.

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Then, when another cheerleader, KayDianna, seemingly referenced what happened on TikTok, she ended up being suspended from the team and ultimately left it.

Situations like this, as well as other vulnerable moments, can lead to intense opinions from viewers.

While Wetterberg’s statement didn’t reference this moment in the show at all, her words got me thinking about it, as she asked viewers to “remember that these girls are real people.” She also noted just how hard being a member of this team is, and how it can impact their lives both positively and negatively, writing:

DCC is a DREAM job for us, but it also can stretch you mentally and physically. That translates differently in everyone. All I pray for is that this show will inspire you to push past your comfort zone, work hard for what you love, and embrace community & friendships more than before.

Like many sports documentaries, like the wickedly popular The Last Dance, which followed Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls, and Simone Biles: Rising, which followed her road to gold at the Paris Olympics, America’s Sweethearts does not shy away from the challenges of this job. It shows the team in difficult personal and professional situations while highlighting their work as elite athletes.

We see the high highs and low lows these women go through, and I totally agree with Wetterberg’s statement. This series does not shy away from the tough moments that might not show them in the best light, while also spotlighting their great accomplishments.

Through it all, it’s important to remember that America's Sweethearts isn’t fiction. And like other sports documentaries, it’s following a very real and intense season in these people’s lives. So, it’s important to view it with empathy and remember that everyone involved are “real people.”

Riley Utley
Weekend Editor

Riley Utley is the Weekend Editor at CinemaBlend. She has written for national publications as well as daily and alt-weekly newspapers in Spokane, Washington, Syracuse, New York and Charleston, South Carolina. She graduated with her master’s degree in arts journalism and communications from the Newhouse School at Syracuse University. Since joining the CB team she has covered numerous TV shows and movies -- including her personal favorite shows Ted Lasso and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. She also has followed and consistently written about everything from Taylor Swift to Fire Country, and she's enjoyed every second of it.

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