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Fans of the National Football League see them on the sidelines every week supporting their favorite franchise. Of course, we’re talking about those peppy, spirit-driven individuals known as cheerleaders.
While they often appear on national television, most folks don’t even know their names – at least not while they're actively cheering. However, there are several pro cheerleaders who have gone on to join the ranks of the rich and famous. With that in mind, it’s time to take a look at ten former NFL cheerleaders who’ve gone on to become major stars and are currently enjoying the finer things in life.
Bonnie-Jill Laflin, 49ers and Cowboys - $1 Million
San Fransico, California’s Bonnie-Jill Laflin is a well-known television personality. The 43-year-old currently hosts the popular sports program Bonnie-Jill Laflin’s The Weekly Pass. She has also worked for ESPN, appeared on television shows like Baywatch, and the hit reality series Basketball Wives. Laflin made history by becoming a talent scout for the Los Angles Lakers, thus making her the NBA’s first female scout.
The television host was a professional cheerleader in the mid-90s. She was a member of both the 49ers and Cowboy’s squads. In fact, Laflin even cheered for the Lakers, making her perhaps the only woman to cheer for three pro teams. According to Gazette Review, she is worth a cool $1 million.
Carmella, New England Patriots - Between $100,000 & $1 Million
Leah Van Dale is a professional wrestler who is better known by her ring name, Carmella. The 32-year-old native of Spencer, Massachusettes, signed with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) in 2013 and has gone on to have an amazing career inside the squared circle. She is a former WWE Smackdown Women’s Champion and also the first female to win a Money in the Bank ladder match.
Prior to becoming a pro wrestler, Carmela cheered for the New England Patriots for three-seasons from 2008 to 2010. Outside the NFL, the WWE star was also a member of the Los Angles Lakers dance team (The Laker Girls) for the 2010-2011 season. These days, Carmella is living the high life and is reportedly worth between $100,000 and $1 million.
Camille Kostek, New England Patriots - $3.4 Million
Camille Kostek is model out of Killingsworth, Connecticut, who is best known for appearing on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue in 2019. The 27-year-old was also featured in Maxim’s Hot 100 list.
Kostek had a very memorable run as a cheerleader for the New England Patriots from 2013 to 2015. She even landed the cover of the team's annual swimsuit calendar and represented the team in a number of public engagements. It was during her time with the squad that she met longtime boyfriend, former Patriot’s tight end, Rob Gronkowski. As an internationally known model, Kostek is said to have around $3.4 million in total assets.
Apollonia Kotero, Los Angeles Rams - $4 Million
Apollonia Kotero is a model, singer, and actress from Santa Monica, California. The multi-talented 60-year-old’s big break came back in 1984 when she co-starred in the iconic Prince film, Purple Rain. She was also the lead singer of the all-girl group known as Apollonia 6; the band was active from 1983 to 1985. Though Purple Rain was the highlight of her acting career, Kotero would go on to appear in several other flicks like the Ministry of Vengenace, Black Magic Woman, and Cattive Ragazze.
Outside of Hollywood, during the early-80s, the actress was a member of the Los Angeles Rams cheerleading squad. Due in no small part to her lengthy acting career, Kotero’s total assets are valued at $4 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
Charisma Carpenter, Los Angeles Chargers - $4 Million
Charisma Carpenter is a television actress out of Las Vegas, Nevada. The 49-year-old has starred in several popular series but is perhaps best known for portraying Cordelia Chase on the hit show Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Folks may also recognize her from her roles on shows like Veronica Mars, Charmed, and The Lying Game. Outside of acting, Carpenter is also a model who appeared on the cover of Playboy magazine back in 2004.
In 1991, the former Buffy the Vampire Slayer star had a brief stint as a professional cheerleader for the Los Angeles (then San Diego) Chargers. Between modeling and acting, Charisma Carpenter is reportedly worth about $4 million.
Brandi Redmond, Dallas Cowboys - $4 Million
The Real Housewives of Dallas' cast member Brandi Redmond first became a star when the series debuted back in June of 2016. The 41-year-old is one of only three cast members who has appeared on all four seasons of the show. The reality star has resided in Texas for over twenty years and also attended college there.
As fans of the show well know, Redmond is a Dallas Cowboys fan who also had a successful tenure as a cheerleader for the organization. She made the squad on five separate occasions and even cheered in the Pro Bowl. Based on the info provided by Cheat Sheet, the Dallas housewife is worth $4 million.
Stacey Keibler, Baltimore Ravens - $4.5 Million
Stacey Keibler is a former professional wrestler, model, and reality television star who was born in Rosedale, Maryland. She rose to prominence in the early-2000s, performing for both World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).
The 40-year-old also had a successful stint on the reality show Dancing With the Stars and came in third overall during the series' second season. While she has some impressive accomplishments in her own right, Keibler’s popularity peaked while she was dating a-list actor George Clooney from 2011 to 2013. Before she was famous, the 5-foot-10 starlet was Baltimore Ravens Cheerleader in the late-90s. According to Money Inc, the former NFL cheerleader’s net worth is $4.5 million.
Lisa Guerrero, Los Angeles Rams - $7 Million
Lisa Guerrero is an actress and investigative reporter from Chicago, Illinois. She began her career as an actress and landed small parts in television shows like Frasier and Sunset Beach. She would eventually transition into becoming a sportscaster and co-hosted The Best Damn Sports Show Period. The now 55-year-old also had a brief stint as a member of the Monday Night Football television crew back in 2003.
These days, the popular television personality works as a correspondent for the television news mag, Inside Edtion – a position she has held since 2016. In the 1980s, the Inside Edtion star was a cheerleader for the Los Angles Rams. Due to her lengthy career on the small screen, Guerrero is reportedly worth $7 million.
Phyllis Smith, Arizona Cardinals - $7 Million
Phyllis Smith is an actress who became a household name after appearing on the hit television comedy, The Office. The 70-year-old also received a great deal of notoriety for her voice work in the film Inside Out. More recently, Smith has starred in the popular Netflix series, The OA.
Prior to becoming the on-screen wife of Bob Vance of Vance Refrigeration, the actress landed some very interesting gigs. At one point, she performed as a burlesque dancer. Moreover, in the 1970s, she was a cheerleader for the Arizona Cardinals (who were the St.Louis Cardinals at the time). In total, The Office star is said to be worth $7 million.
Teri Hatcher, San Francisco 49ers - $50 Million
Pala Alto, California’s Terri Hatcher is an award-winning actress who has appeared in several well-known films and television series. The 54-year-old’s big break came back in 1993 when she snagged the lead role in the hit show Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. She would also go on to portray Paris Carver in the James Bond flick Tomorrow Never Dies. However, her career soared to new heights when she landed the role of Susan Mayers on the hit program Desperate Housewives.
Prior to hitting it big, Hatcher was a San Francisco 49ers cheerleader back in 1984. According to Celebrity Net Worth, the talented actress as over $50 million in assets.