Former Vikings captain speaks out against team for employing male cheerleaders

Former Vikings player and current conservative activist Jack Brewer told Fox News Digital he is "disgusted and embarrassed" about the new cheerleaders.

"As a former Viking team captain who grew up a Viking fan-my dad's been a Viking fan since 1972-I've never been so disgusted and embarrassed to even have any association with the Minnesota Vikings brand. I think I speak for a lot of other former players and Viking fans when I say that this does not represent this great franchise," Brewer said. 

"Now we're being represented with men with pom-poms on the sideline. It's sickening. No man needs to ever have a pom-pom in their hand."

Brewer added that he believes the inclusion of men on the cheerleading squad is an attempt to "manipulate children."

"This is purely an attempt to manipulate young children, to overtake the minds of young children with this spiritual evilness," Brewer said. "The influence on kids is manipulating the mind of the children. They are teaching young boys that it's okay to have pom-poms and cheer and act like women."

Brewer believes that this will particularly impact "minority" boys. 

However, the Vikings' situation has become a conversation of national debate amid Sheik and Conn's recent social media posts. The team has stood by the two men, affirming the team is "proud" to have them on the sidelines for this upcoming season. 

"But if you're going to be woke and you're gonna try to take the men out of men's sports, which is what you're doing. They're trying to take gender and say, 'OK, we're going to make it more about gender than we are about masculinity.' Then, you're going to have a huge problem. It's coming."

Tuberville warned that fans may stop buying tickets to games if male cheerleaders become more prevalent.

"People will actually quit buying tickets because this is the narrative they're trying to push. This is not just about a couple of people being men cheerleaders," Tuberville said. "It is about pushing a narrative that you want to put gender into sports and let everyone know we're trying to show, 'Hey, we're going to take the masculinity out of it a little bit.'"

Brewer praised Tuberville for his recent statements. 

"Thank God for Tommy Tuberville, who came out with a strong statement standing up against that-one of the greatest college football coaches in the history of the game-because he knows he has a voice. He's trying to speak out, not just for his perspective, but for the perspective of the vast majority of coaches, players, and even fans. This is not supported by the fans. What do you think a fan comes to an NFL game to watch?" Brewer said.  

"Do you think they come to watch men with pom-poms, or do they come to watch hard-nosed football played at a high level with sportsmanship, great plays, great athletes, and actual skillful female cheerleaders on the sideline with some male cheerleaders who are there to pick them up and throw them, catch them, but not to wave pom-poms?"

It is Sheik's first year as a Vikings cheerleader. He shared a post back in May, celebrating his rookie season. Conn was a part of the Iowa State Cyclones dance team before he joined the Vikings this season.