The cast of Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders now: Six months after filming, here's what they've been up to
Season 2 of America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders is now streaming on Netflix, offering fans an inside look as DCC Senior Director Kelli Finglass and Head Choreographer Judy Trammell assemble another elite team of talented athletes.
The episodes picked up just before the final round of auditions for the 2024–2025 squad and followed the chosen candidates through training camp, emotional cuts, the official team reveal, and into the heart of the NFL season.
The NFL season wrapped up in January 2025, meaning some time has passed since filming ended.
From DCC Senior Director Kelli Finglass to the veterans, rookies and some of our fave alums, here's what the squad are up to now.
Kelli Finglass, a former DCC from 1984 to 1989, became director in 1991 and transformed the squad into a global brand. Known for her high standards and no-nonsense leadership, Finglass expected nothing less than excellence from every cheerleader this season.
Since filming ended for the second season, Kelli has been spending time with family. She posted a picture from her son Ryan's 31 mile marathon run, writing: "A regular marathon wasn't enough… first Ultra Marathon in the books! ✅ Proud of @ryan_finglass #31Miles #LegsOfSteel."
She also appeared on Beavers Wealth Management podcast alongside Ryan for a Mother's Day special episode, and responded to rumours she'd had a face lift in a video posted to her Instagram.
Judy Trammell, a DCC alum from 1980 to 1984, became head choreographer in 1991 and has led the squad's iconic routines for over four decades.
In March, she announced she's expecting her fifth grandchild sharing a picture of her son and his partner at their baby gender reveal.
A month later, she celebrated her first born's birthday, sharing a throw back snap on her grid.
Before joining the DCC in 2022, Amanda danced for the Golden State Warriors and overcame a training camp cut with determination and grit.
Since filming, Amanda has been travelling the world with her husband Ralph. They've been everywhere from Switzerland to Lake Como and have been sharing lots of scenic photos on their Instagram accounts.
In May, she attended Dallas Cowboys 2020-2024 cheerleader Jessica Bowman's (now Lanham) wedding.
Alongside a picture of her and Ralph, she wrote: "The best night celebrating the @jbo97 and @lanham5 🥹 isn't the bride just perfection? Wow!"
Once known as Caroline's little sister, Anna Kate stepped into her own as a seasoned DCC member after a strong rookie year.
She turned 25 in June and was surprised with a party from her boyfriend Michael Snyder.
As well as turning a year older, Anna has been travelling and doing press for the show, recently travelling to New York along with the rest of the squad.
Armani has been booked and busy since filming, working with several brands including Vaseline and Shea Moisture. She's also been doing a bit of travelling, and attended Jessica Bowman's hen weekend in Cabo, Mexico.
She moved home in May and shared the process to her 67,000 followers.
The longest running veteran to try out for the year, Chandi has been keeping busy since season two ended. She recently had a little hair makeover, dying her dark locks honey brown.
She attended the baby shower of Dallas Cowboys 2020-2024 cheerleader Mckenzie in February.
After making the team last year, Reece returned as a veteran for season two, now happily married to her college sweetheart and first ever boyfriend, Will. She celebrated her one-year anniversary in April, sharing a picture from her wedding day with a sweet message.
"I'm so thankful God placed you in my life and to have been a part of an incredible vendor team to document your beginnings as husband and wife" she wrote."It's been such an honor to watch your journey and all the amazing things God is doing through you both."
The same month, she sat down with Will to talk to Valley View Baptist Church youth.
A fan-favorite rookie candidate last season, Charly was the 2023-2024 squad's very last cut.
Since filming, she's been doing a bit of travelling, as well as spending time with fellow rookies Ariel and Ava.
One of the breakout stars of season one, Kelcey spent five seasons with the squad from 2019-2024.
Following her retirement from the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders in 2024, Kelcey shifted her focus to her full-time career as a pediatric nurse. She also got engaged - and later married - to Nate Crnkovich.
Although she's stepped away from the spotlight of professional cheerleading, she continues to stay involved in the dance and wellness world and she's still very close to the team, recently attending Jessica's wedding.
Kalina joined the DCC in 2019 and became a four‑year veteran.
After taking a break, Victoria relocated to New York to chase her dream of joining the Rockettes, and now shares her life through fitness, dance, and mental‑health advocacy.
She regularly posts videos of her choreography on Instagram and recently shared a video of her last dance for DCC to promote the second season.
America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboy Cheeleaders season 2 is available to stream on Netflix.
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Honorable mention: Jahmyr Gibbs. Holmes said TeSlaa was his favorite wide receiver in the 2025 NFL Draft. Not necessarily the best, but his favorite. The more you learn about him, the more you understand why. A lightly recruited wing-T quarterback in high school who had to go the Division-II route to learn how to play wide receiver, TeSlaa picked it up fast enough to play SEC football by the time it was all said and done. The fact that he was able to advance that quickly speaks to his intelligence and work ethic, and when you watch the tape, you see his natural athleticism and speed paired with elite size. Don't be fooled by the lack of production at Arkansas. TeSlaa's got the goods, and the Lions are confident they can get him where he needs to go. Advertisement Montgomery has already seen it. 'Number one thing was poise. We threw a lot at him mentally. I challenged him, put him at multiple positions to see if he could handle that. Brought him along as fast as we could. He didn't blink an eye,' Montgomery said of TeSlaa. '…He has to prove it, continue to make those jumps as the competition level rises. …But what you saw is a guy that definitely belonged, and his physical talent and ability showed that not only did he belong, but he's exactly what we thought he was at this point in time. 'Just gotta grow and develop as a player and unlock the smaller details of what we do, but a great example, though, if you will, of a guy working his way into what he is, not just one of those guys that hits a height, weight and speed. …This is a guy that has worked to get to where he is. Really happy to have him where he is right now.' The draft capital the Lions spent to acquire TeSlaa — a late third-round pick and two 2026 thirds for No. 70 overall — was steep. But they're betting on his work ethic, intangibles, athleticism and their staff here. TeSlaa developing into a quality receiver on his hometown team would be a hell of a story. We'll see if he gives us something to write about. Honorable mention: Jameson Williams. The tight end room consists of a Pro Bowl and All-Pro talent in LaPorta, a steady No. 2 in Brock Wright, then the likes of Shane Zylstra, Kenny Yeboah and UDFAs Zach Horton and Luke Deal. Given the direction the Lions went when Steve Heiden left to become Aaron Glenn's offensive line coach in New York, I'll go with LaPorta. And not just because he's one of the most important players on the roster. LaPorta set records as a rookie and was an instant impact as a receiver. His ability to contort his body, make contested/full-extension catches and generate yards after the catch made him a player defenses needed to focus on as a rookie. As a sophomore, though, as teams paid more attention to him and weapons like Jameson Williams and Jahmyr Gibbs stepped up in the passing game, LaPorta's production dipped. It coincided with some nagging injuries LaPorta was playing through, too. And yet, he finished sixth among tight ends in receiving yards as a No. 3 option, while most of the players ahead of him were No. 1 or 2 options. Advertisement All that to say, LaPorta has this receiving thing down. His new position coach, Tyler Roehl, wants to see where he can take his game as a blocker. 'With Sam, natural. Just real natural feel in the pass game. Where can I continue to add value for him in the run game? He's got the right mindset and intent. You can tell that he has a really good foundation to build upon. There are small things in the run game that I can help out with, but talking about no ego, about the team, high capacity to learn, and an unbelievable work ethic. He's–just our communication and the way he goes about his work, excited to continue to help add value to his game.' It starts with mindset and intent, as Roehl stated. Not all tight ends want to block and it shows. LaPorta does. And while it doesn't always look pretty, it can be effective. Roehl is a former running back/fullback who coached tight ends and running backs at the collegiate level before making the jump to the NFL. This seems to be his area of expertise. If LaPorta, already a willing blocker, can become a true asset in that department, he'll truly have zero holes in his game. Honorable mention: Horton, Deal. You could make an argument for a few different players. Christian Mahogany needs continued development after flashing as a rookie in 2024. Current rookies Tate Ratledge and Miles Frazier could be key pieces for the future — and Ratledge specifically should be a Day 1 starter. Even Kingsley Eguakun could develop into an intriguing piece. However, in my opinion, it's easier to find quality guards than a quality tackle. And Manu has the tools to be just that. Remember that tidbit about Holmes waking up knowing he needed to walk away with two players on Day 3 of the 2024 draft? Vaki was one, Manu was the other. A bit of a hidden gem, the Lions felt the need to trade a 2025 third-rounder for Manu, with the notion that other teams were lurking behind them. What they saw was a player born in Tonga, tucked away in Canada. He was raw, but my goodness, the tools. A 6-foot-7 frame, great explosion, a player who moves well in space and a no-nonsense mentality are all great foundational characteristics of a potential starting tackle. Add in Hank Fraley and veterans who want to help, and the Lions have one of the better situations for a young lineman to be dropped into. And while his footwork and fundamentals needed an overhaul, that's what the 2024 season was for. Advertisement 'I liked where he ended last year, where he was with his play, where his demeanor was, where he really was, assignment-wise. He really did a good job, and he grew every day,' Fraley said of Manu. '…He does have a physical presence about him and he can exert his physicality on the field. That's what I think you got to see later in the year. Now it's — can he take that next step? It's a huge step. It's no longer, hey, we're trying to get all your base and balance right. There was a lot we changed with him. 'I told him when we drafted him there was going to be a lot that I was going to change how he did things. …Tweak that foot there, turn your toe out, place your hands here, all that. All these little things, he's heard me a whole year saying it and it's — can I take this, and now, without thinking of all these little things that come into play, can I keep playing fast? I think that's what we're going to see.' The blueprint for a player like Manu is Philadelphia's Jordan Mailata. That's a lofty goal, of course, but even if he can develop into a quality tackle — like Taylor Decker — it would give the Lions a young offensive line to build around when others leave or retire. Penei Sewell will be the face of the next wave, but guys like Mahogany Ratledge, Manu and Frazier could join him. Honorable mention(s): Ratledge, Frazier, Eguakun. We'll end with special teams, and even though he's a coordinator and not a position coach, this is an important pairing. Last training, when the Lions signed UFL phenom Jake Bates, it was met with excitement. He made crucial, booming kicks at Ford Field months before he would do so for the Lions, playing for the Michigan Panthers. His leg strength was a sight to behold and gave him NFL upside. The Lions beat out the Packers, among others, for his services. But Bates had rough patches. In training camp, he'd miss badly from short and connect with ease from a distance. Fipp attributes some of that to not having a full offseason to rest, going from the UFL straight to the NFL. But there is a mental element involved in playing that position. It's just you and your thoughts, and Bates is one to isolate. If he was in his head at one point, you wouldn't know it when the season started. He connected on 26 of his 29 attempts, including 6-of-8 from 50-plus yards, with some clutch kicks along the way. Advertisement While Fipp cautions that kicking is fluid year-to-year based on what's asked of the player and the conditions around him, he believes there's more in Bates. The Lions will play more outdoor games than they did a year ago, which Bates will need to be ready for. They'll continue to tinker with kickoff strategies. But Bates proved he belonged last year. 'I think the biggest thing with him is just continuing to progress,' Fipp said. 'Keep his confidence up. I said a year ago at the very beginning of the year, he's gonna have some ups and downs, and we're gonna stick with him. And I'll say the same thing this year: he's going to have some ups and downs and we're going to stick with him. …I feel great about him. Just watching him, I can tell and you can see that he's a lot more confident, he's a lot more sure of what's going on around him. …I'm excited for him. He looks great. And I think the guy's gonna be a great player in this league.' Honorable mention(s): LS Hogan Hatten, P Jack Fox, Vaki, Dan Jackson. (Top photo of Sione Vaki: Daniel Bartel / Imagn Images)
