# My Favorite Male NFL Cheerleader - Quinton Peron | Tosh Show Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R32fEWBOU6I Recap page: https://rapidrecap.app/video/R32fEWBOU6I Generated: 2025-12-16T14:34:00.652+00:00 --- ## Quick Overview NFL cheerleader Quinton Peron, one of the first two male cheerleaders in the Rams organization, discussed his career highlights, including performing at Super Bowl 53 during a low-scoring game, the differences between NFL and NBA cheerleading, and his personal anecdotes about dance inspiration and family support. **Key Points:** - Quinton Peron performed at Super Bowl 53 when the Rams played the Patriots, noting that keeping the crowd engaged was hard due to the low score (13-3 at the end) and Maroon 5's halftime show, stating, "there's no worse feeling than having to smile in that nonsense" when the Patriots confetti rained down. - NFL cheerleading, especially with males, focuses more on choreography-based dance, unlike collegiate cheerleading which is more stunt-based, and NFL cheerleaders are often paid around $35 an hour as a part-time gig. - Peron was inspired to start dancing seriously at age 16 after seeing dancers Twitch and Will Wingfield on season four of *So You Think You Can Dance*. - He confirmed that when he joined the Rams, there was no fraternization policy, meaning there was no official rule against cheerleaders having relationships with players. - Peron recounted a time he soiled himself mid-routine during the 2016 All-Star competition Worlds after eating at Outback Steakhouse, managing to finish the routine despite having to do four toe touches back-to-back. - He prefers NBA cheerleading choreography because it allows more freedom to 'get down and dirty' compared to NFL, where heels often restrict movement, although he noted the talent level in LA NFL teams has significantly increased. - Peron came out to his parents at 18; the initial shock stemmed from him being disrespectful online and calling his mother out by name, rather than just the fact of him being gay, but his parents are now super supportive. **Context:** The interview features host Tosh leading a conversation with Quinton Peron, a male NFL cheerleader for the Rams, who made history by being one of the first men on the squad. The discussion ranges from his professional experiences performing at major events like the Super Bowl and navigating the politics of professional dance teams to personal stories, including his background in sports, his family's reaction to him coming out, and humorous anecdotes about mishaps during competitions. ## Detailed Analysis The interview with Quinton Peron covers his groundbreaking career as a male cheerleader for the Rams, starting with the challenging Super Bowl 53 performance against the Patriots, which featured a dull game and a poor halftime show, forcing the cheerleaders to maintain professionalism despite the lack of excitement. Peron differentiated between collegiate cheer, which he sees as stunt-heavy, and professional NFL cheer, which functions more like a dance team focused on choreography, noting that NBA cheer allows for more aggressive, 'get down and dirty' moves than NFL where heels are worn. He shared that he was inspired to pursue dance at 16 by watching *So You Think You Can Dance* and that his parents are extremely supportive now, despite initial shock when he came out at 18, which was complicated by prior disrespectful online behavior towards his mother. A significant anecdote involved him getting sick from Outback Steakhouse before the 2016 Cheer Worlds competition and accidentally soiling himself during a demanding routine, which he still managed to complete. On team dynamics, he mentioned that initially the Rams tried to separate male and female cheerleaders in dressing rooms, but he preferred staying with the girls for the locker room talk. He also confirmed that during his tenure, there was no official fraternization policy regarding players. ### Cheerleading Career Highlights - Performed at Super Bowl 53 during a boring 13-3 game - NFL cheer is choreography-based, NBA allows more freedom - Earned approximately $35/hour for the part-time gig - Raider fans were initially hostile but quieted down once they saw him dance ### Inspiration and Background - Started dancing at age 16 after being inspired by Twitch and Will Wingfield on SYTYCD - Family has a background in basketball coaching - Came out at 18; parents are now very supportive, discussing dates with his mom ### Personal and Professional Mishaps - Accidentally soiled himself during the 2016 Cheer Worlds competition after eating at Outback Steakhouse - Shared that he prefers boxer briefs over boxers for comfort during performance - Mentioned that he was around for the transition from the Coliseum (where they used a trailer) to SoFi Stadium (where they got a dressing room) ### Dance Industry Insights - Versatility and networking are key for success in the competitive dance world - His worst style to dance is tap, and he does not know daggering - Worked with Mariah Carey's Christmas special and choreographed for one of Paul's drag queens ### Host Anecdotes and Gifts - Host shared a story about his father-in-law mistaking his Amazon package table for a fancy fixture - Host gifted Peron a prop microphone from *Tosh.0* that hung over his child's changing table, a Paul Smith tracksuit, and Bravo Sierra body wipes.