Washington Football Team Announces Cheerleaders To Be Replaced With Coed Dance Team

For the first time in nearly 60 years, the NFL club in Washington will not have just cheerleaders on the sidelines this fall when they take the field.

The team announced on Wednesday that the club's cheerleaders will be replaced with a coed dance team.

The original cheerleader group was founded in 1962 when the team was known by their nickname the Redskins, which was done away with prior to last season.

The move to dump the cheerleaders is part of the organization’s rebranding effort and not related to a confidential settlement reached with members of the 2008 and 2010 cheerleading teams.

Last month, cheerleaders that were involved in those 2008 and 2010 teams told the AP that “the matter has been resolved.”

There was no word on if or when the settlement was reached and what the amount of that settlement may have been.

The team said on Wednesday they have hired former Laker Girl manager Petra Pope to be an adviser for the unit.

“I’ve been asked to create a more modern entertainment team that is inclusive and diverse,” Pope said in a phone interview with the AP.

“We just want to follow that mode of being more modern and a more modern franchise. Change is difficult, but I do feel that the fans will love what we bring to the table.”

Joey Colby-Begovich, vice president of gameday experience said Monday that Pope will be in charge of forming and naming the new dance team.