From an early age, Jonathan Romero wanted to be a professional dancer.
So when he was seeking out opportunities, trying out for the San Francisco 49ers’ cheer squad seemed like the next logical step.
Even 10 years ago, that wouldn’t have been the case. For the longest time, NFL cheerleading teams were places for attractive women to wear skirts and wave pom-poms, representing toxic gender stereotypes. But then Quinton Peron and Napoleon Jinnies broke the mold. The two pro dancers became the first ever male NFL cheerleaders in 2018, when they joined the Los Angeles Rams.
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Six years later, male NFL cheerleaders are increasingly prevalent, and many of them are gay. When the Rams won Super Bowl LVI, they made history with five out gay cheerleaders on the sideline.
Romero, who’s struck up a friendship with Peron and other barrier-breakers, is following in those footsteps. The Sacramento native was cheering for the Niners this month in Super Bowl LVIII, an overtime thriller that will go down as one of the greatest championship games ever played.
Only 23 years old, Romero has many goals ahead of him. He received his bachelor’s degree in interior architecture (he’s partial to Art Deco) and is currently pursuing a master’s in project management.
But Romero’s greatest joy comes every Sunday during the fall and early winter, when he joins his Gold Rush teammates on the gridiron. Performing during the Super Bowl, and enjoying the week’s festivities, was the ultimate highlight.
Queerty recently caught up with Romero to talk about his Super Bowl takeaways, favorite pop diva and dating an older man. Here’s what this cutie had to say…
QUEERTY: What prompted you to try out for the 49ers’ cheer team?
JONATHAN ROMERO: I felt like I was at that level. I felt like all of my training had led up to this point, and I just needed to throw myself into something, and really just go for it. I went with the Gold Rush, it was my first professional audition. And I made the team!
What was your favorite experience from the Super Bowl season?
I got chills when you asked me that! Honestly, the whole season was phenomenal. I love the hell out of my team, and all the ladies I cheer with are phenomenal. Being able to go to the Super Bowl as the lone ranger in terms of male NFL cheerleaders was pretty amazing, and being able to experience a Super Bowl in Las Vegas, it was an amazing place to hold a Super Bowl.
I was able to take my friend Quinton [Peron] to the GLAAD Super Bowl experience as a guest. Him and I just had a blast that night. I told him prior to us going to that event that prior to making the team and becoming a full-blown professional, I really looked up to him, and he was a big inspiration for me. So it was really full circle for him to on a whim fly to Vegas with me and enjoy the experience. It was just amazing.
I was going to ask, do you have relationships with other male NFL cheerleaders?
We’re all spread around the country, so some I have better relationships with, and others I only know online. But there’s a deep connection in the cohort of male NFL cheerleaders, even though we haven’t all met face-to-face. We all go through the same things, we train the same way. We all know what it feels like to step foot on that field, so that really connects us.
What’s the hardest part of being a pro cheerleader?
Juggling everything! I made the team when I was an undergrad, so I was a student and a server/bartender at a restaurant here in Sacramento. I was trying to get my way through school. I was also a dance teacher and choreographer privately, and would have to travel four hours—two hours there and two hours back every single weekend for practice. Then in the midst of all that, having to practice all of my routines and making sure things for game day go correctly. It was a lot. I think people underestimate how much work goes into it.
Which pop diva would you love to dance on tour with?
Paula Abdul! She started as a Lakers girl, actually. When I first auditioned my rookie season, I got asked who was my idol/artist I would want to embody, and I said “Paula Abdul,” because she was one of us, and look at where she is now. Her career skyrocketed.
I see on Instagram that you’re dating somebody! How did you guys meet?
Through a mutual friend. Gay kickball is a huge thing in Sacramento, and I went to see one of my good friends play, and we ended up playing on the same team. I was like, “Wow! He’s really handsome!” So one night, we were all heading out, and he was there, and I told my friend I wanted to meet him, and that was that.
But it’s actually really funny: my first season, we made it to the NFC Championship, and we didn’t win. After that, obviously everyone was super devastated, and we went to a restaurant, and he was there. Then my teammate, we’re really close, she was like, “Holy cow! That guy is super handsome. If you don’t take him, I will.” I was like, “No, I’m devastated right now. I can’t think about boys at all.” Then a year later, we’re dating, and I actually go to the Super Bowl, and we win the NFC Championship. So it’s kind of crazy.
What do you like to do together?
We love to exercise together, we love to go hiking, kind of everything. As long as he’s in my company, we have fun doing whatever. We’re super easy going guys. He is older! He’s 40, and I’m 23. It’s quite an age gap.
Do you notice the age gap?
Not at all. Sometimes, he’s like “You’re way mature than I am, and I’m 40 years old.” Sometimes he’ll make remarks or quote lines from movies I don’t really know. But then we’ll watch them.
What’s something that you’ve taught him?
Just different lingo! Sometimes he’s like, “What does ‘slay’ mean?,” and stuff like that. “What is this vocabulary you guys are using sometimes?” He’s usually pretty good. TikTok, Instragram and other social media platforms keep everybody involved. Even straight people, I would argue!
What’s up for the offseason?
Enjoying my weekends! We practiced every Saturday, so my weekends are non-existent, especially with a full-time job. Just taking the time to ground myself, do lots of yoga, hang out and relax. Just things that I wasn’t able to do during the season.
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Cute and nice legs!