The Erica Wilkins lawsuit was a 2018 federal wage case in which former Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader Erica Wilkins sued the Dallas Cowboys Football Club, Ltd. for unpaid wages, sub-minimum effective pay, unpaid overtime, and sex-based pay discrimination under the Equal Pay Act, comparing her earnings to those of the team’s male mascot, Rowdy. The case settled in September 2019 without a trial, and the Cowboys raised cheerleader practice pay from $8 to $12 an hour and doubled game-day pay from $200 to $400.1ABC News. Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Secure 400% Pay Raise
Who Erica Wilkins Is
Wilkins joined the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders as a rookie for the 2014–2015 season and later earned a place on the elite 16-person “show group” that performed at high-profile events beyond regular games.2New York Post. Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader Reveals Why She’s Suing the Team A neck and shoulder injury ended her time on the squad in August 2017.3People. Ex-Cheerleader Sues Dallas Cowboys for Unpaid Wages Wilkins later said the injury gave her “the freedom that I needed to speak out.”
What the Lawsuit Alleged
Wilkins filed suit on June 12, 2018 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, bringing claims under the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Portal-to-Portal Pay Act, and the Equal Pay Act, and seeking to certify a collective action so other current and former cheerleaders could join.4Class Action. Wilkins v. Dallas Cowboys Football Club, Ltd. Complaint
Unpaid Hours and Sub-Minimum Pay
The complaint said cheerleaders were paid $8 an hour for practices and training, $200 per game, and $100 to $300 per appearance, capped at $500.2New York Post. Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader Reveals Why She’s Suing the Team5Dallas Observer. Former Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader Erica Wilkins Is Suing the Organization for Unfair Pay4Class Action. Wilkins v. Dallas Cowboys Football Club, Ltd. Complaint6Dallas Morning News. Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Paid Less Than Half What Mascot Rowdy Made, Lawsuit Alleges
The Equal Pay Comparison to Rowdy
The claim that drew the most attention compared cheerleader compensation to the pay of the team’s male mascot, Rowdy. According to the complaint, Rowdy earned about $25 per hour and roughly $65,000 a year, while Wilkins’ annual gross wages on the squad ranged from about $5,818 to $16,516. The suit argued the cheerleaders’ work required “equal skill, effort, and responsibility” under similar conditions, since both they and the mascot appeared at games, corporate events, and camps, making the gap a violation of the Equal Pay Act.4Class Action. Wilkins v. Dallas Cowboys Football Club, Ltd. Complaint
Wilkins told reporters the Cowboys offered early on to simply pay her the back wages, and she refused. “I could’ve settled with the Cowboys for just my back wages and unpaid wages that they owed me,” she said. “But I am not willing to settle. My goal is to help other cheerleaders, and women as a whole.”2New York Post. Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader Reveals Why She’s Suing the Team
How the Case Was Resolved
The lawsuit settled in September 2019 without going to trial, so no court ruled on the merits of the equal pay or minimum wage claims.1ABC News. Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Secure 400% Pay Raise7Shado Magazine. Lessons in Organising: How the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Won a 400% Pay Raise8The Current. NFL Cheerleaders Have Been Fighting for Better Pay for 10 Years
What the Case Set in Motion
The 2019 settlement raised pay but didn’t end the debate inside the organization. During the 2024–25 season, veteran cheerleaders organized around another round of increases, consulting family members with legal backgrounds, coordinating on Zoom, and meeting with the Cowboys’ human resources and legal teams. Some discussed a walkout but did not carry one out.9Time. Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Pay Raise
In the final episode of the second season of the Netflix docuseries America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, the squad learned it would receive a roughly 400 percent pay increase for the 2025 season. Veteran cheerleader Jada McLean, who had earned $15 per hour and $500 per appearance in 2024, said veterans could earn more than $75 per hour under the new contract.10New York Times. Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Salary The Dallas Cowboys declined to confirm the new figures.11Forbes. How Much Do Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Make The new contract still does not include health insurance, and cheerleaders remain classified as part-time employees.12Yahoo Entertainment. How Much Are Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Paid
Multiple outlets have traced a direct line from Wilkins’ 2018 suit to the 2025 raise, describing the litigation as the moment that first drew broad public scrutiny to how little NFL cheerleaders earned relative to franchise revenues.10New York Times. Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Salary9Time. Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Pay Raise