A cheerleader for the Dallas Cowboys has been speaking out about what she saw at last week’s playoff game against the Green Bay Packers.
Darian Lassiter took to TikTok to give her perspective on the “disrespect” during the 14 January game. The Wild Card Round matchup ended with a win for the Packers with a final score of 48 to 32.
“So I cheer for the Cowboys and y’all I have never experienced such disrespect from the other team’s players to the cheerleaders in my five years as an NFL cheerleader,” her clip began.
The cheerleader then began listing examples for what the players were doing during the football game. She said when the Packers would score a touchdown, they would come up to the Cowboys cheerleaders and “start yelling.” Lassiter mentioned that personal boundaries weren’t always taken into account as the yelling would sometimes occur only inches away from the cheerleaders’ faces.
“I feel like that’s unsportsmanlike conduct,” she said in her TikTok. “It’s so crazy how they can’t do that to the Cowboys players or other players, but they can do it to the cheerleaders and nothing’s gonna happen.”
“I understand the playoffs are a huge huge deal, like I truly get it. But that does not mean your humbleness and respect for women flies out the window.”
She concluded: “I’m rooting for every team but them now that the Cowboys are out.”
After Lassiter’s video was viewed over 600,000 times some people took to the TikTok’s comments section to express how bad they felt for her.
“I can only imagine how uncomfortable and possibly unsafe that must have felt and it’s not like you can walk away. So distasteful. You are a lovely representation of strength and poise for DCC,” one comment read.
Another commenter agreed, writing, “I applaud you for speaking up. All the love from a life long Cowboys and DCC fan next door in Fort Worth. Rooting for any team but the Packers now as well.”
“As someone from GB & a pack fan, this is NOT the Packers way. I’m so sorry you experienced this!!” a third commenter wrote.
Even another fellow Cowboys cheerleader chimed in writing, “Amen! They were extremely disrespectful to us and I was shocked.”
However, many people also weren’t sure whether or not the cheerleader was telling the truth and pointed out that she had no evidence she could use to actually prove this happened.
“Thing is all those cameras, all the fans and not one other person saw this? The stadium was full of cowboy fans you’re telling me not one person would have recorded this?” one commenter questioned.
“Correct me if I’m wrong, but why not name the player?” another commenter pointed out. “Or give a jersey number? Because that would be verifiable. Instead just say some guys on that team that just embarrassed my team.”
“Where is the footage?! You can’t be blasting this out there and not have evidence girl!! Funny how this is just now being posted the day before the Packers have a big game. Very classy,” a third comment read.
The Independent has asked the Green Bay Packers and Darian Lassiter for comment.