In Netflix's sensational sports docuseries America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, viewers get a behind-the-scenes look at the NFL dance team's 2023 season. Created by Cheer and Last Chance U's Greg Whiteley, the seven-episode series follows elite dancers from all over the U.S. as they prepare for pre-season auditions and the playoffs, and open up about their lives and day-to-day experiences being a part of the franchise.
Since the show landed on the streaming giant on June 20, 2024, countless viewers have become obsessed with the world of DCC, from the high-octane routines ("Thunderstruck" is now stuck in all of our heads) to the unspoken intricacies of the million-dollar organization.
Of course, many newly minted fans are also wondering whether the show—and arguably one of this year's best documentaries—will return to follow the team for another season. Read on for everything we know about a possible America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders season 2 so far.
Has 'America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders' been renewed for season 2?
Cue the high kicks! On November 11, 2024, Netflix announced that America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders will return for a second season. According to Tudum, America's Sweethearts season 2 "will chronicle the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders from nerve-wracking auditions and grueling training camp all the way through the high-energy NFL 2024–25 season." That means that the docuseries is likely still filming through the Cowboys' ongoing season—which unfortunately isn't going well—as the team has games scheduled up to January 2025.
In addition to season 2, Netflix is going all-in on its partnership with the Dallas Cowboys. The streaming giant has an upcoming "untitled docuseries exploring the history of the Cowboys and team owner Jerry Jones," per Tudum, and it will stream the Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson boxing event live from AT&T Stadium on November 15.
Ahead of the official announcement, both Whiteley and the Dallas Cowboys franchise showed excitement for a possible second season. Following the series' premiere, the Cowboys' official website released a statement on the show that ended by mentioning hopes for season 2. It read, "While plans are currently undetermined for a second season, the Dallas Cowboys are excited to see the response from the world in the early stages of the show's release in anticipation of hopefully signing on for more seasons."
Meanwhile, in a June interview with Variety, the showrunner shared that he'd "love" more time with the team, as he felt the filmmakers were "just starting to hit their stride" when filming ended.
"Our last two or three weeks of filming, we were just starting to hit our stride," he told the outlet. "Part of it is the stakes are higher when you’re at a place like The Star, where it is the most financially lucrative, valuable sports franchise in all the world. They have plenty at stake and that breeds a certain culture that’s very buttoned down and can sometimes bump up against a documentary film crew trying to pierce that."
He continued, "I felt like we were just starting to get there as we were wrapping up, and I’d love to have more time to see if we can get deeper and deeper with more and more of the team."
Thankfully, we can officially get out the poms, now that season 2 has been greenlit.
Which cast members would return for 'America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders' season 2?
The final moments of America's Sweethearts season 1 saw all of the active Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders featured on the show confirm whether or not they were planning to audition for the next season. Many of the doc's subjects promised they would return, including 2023 rookies Reece Allman and Anna Kate Sundvold. Fans following the stars of America's Sweethearts over the past few months know that some of our favorite cheerleaders are guaranteed to return. (More on that below.)
However, not everyone will be back. Victoria Kalina, a fourth-year veteran, decided not to return for a fifth year. Instead, she recently moved to New York City. Kelcey Wetterberg also retired after what marked her fifth year. It's possible she could return as an alumnus of the team, though—similar to how Anna Kate's sister Caroline Sundvold shared her experience in the doc of what life is like after being a DCC.
Are any of the 'America's Sweethearts' stars on the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders' 2024 team?
By the time America's Sweethearts landed on Netflix, DCC director Kelli Finglass and head choreographer Judy Trammell were already hard at work on the audition cycle for this year's team. According to the DDC website, the bosses held the first rehearsal of this year's training camp on the same day the docuseries arrived on Netflix. On June 26, the team's official Instagram revealed the 2024 rookie candidates. The announcement included two familiar faces: Charly Barby and Kelly Villares. The two didn't make the squad in the docuseries, but they have made it to training camp for the second year in a row, receiving their second shot at joining the team.
The team also shared a reel featuring many of the veteran candidates' auditions, as they all incorporated a similar move into their solo routines. In this clip, it's confirmed that both Reece and Anna Kate also participated in training camp, though they were doing double duty by promoting the series at the same time.
By the time of season 2's renewal, spoiler-prone fans need to head to their favorite stars' Instagrams to know whether or not they made the official team. Based on the 2024 roster, it's guaranteed that Reece, Anna Kate, Charly, Kelly, and Sophy Laufer will all return in America's Sweethearts season 2.
