The discussion came after the Minnesota Vikings announced that their dance team would now be coed, making them the 12th franchise in the league to add male members to its sideline squad. Cain, a Texas native and longtime sports commentator, used the news as an opportunity to float a tongue-in-cheek suggestion: maybe his former Fox & Friends Weekend co-host—now U.S. Secretary of Defense—Pete Hegseth should step in.

While Cain made clear that he doesn’t oppose male cheerleaders in general—praising traditional college programs like Texas A&M that feature men in strength-based roles—he argued that the NFL’s version is fundamentally different.

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“I don’t have anything against male cheerleaders,” Cain said. “The Texas A&M Aggies have been doing this for decades.” He then jokingly threw up the hand sign of rival Texas, the Longhorns.

“The problem is what’s happening in the NFL isn’t the same,” Cain continued. “We’re not talking about the guys who toss girls 30 feet in the air and catch them. We’re talking about male cheerleaders being female cheerleaders. That’s what’s going on with the Minnesota Vikings.”

Failla, the show’s host, agreed, responding bluntly: “This is not good.”

A Call for Pete Hegseth—Sort Of

Since Hegseth is both a Minnesota native and an outspoken Vikings fan, Cain joked that perhaps the Secretary of Defense could have something to say about the new additions to the Vikings’ cheer squad.

“I do know somebody who is a Minnesota Vikings fan, and I imagine he had a pretty big hand in those B-52s flying over Vladimir Putin’s head today in Alaska,” Cain quipped, before adding: “So I don’t know, maybe we need to call the Secretary of Defense.”

Failla laughed and blurted out: “Oh d***.” Then, for viewers who might have missed the reference, he clarified the punchline: “For those of you who don’t follow cabinet positions, that man he was mentioning rhymes with ‘Pete Hegseth.’”

Cain piled on, recalling how Hegseth would arrive on set at Fox decked out in purple accessories: “Socks, wristbands, tie—you name it.”

The Vikings Respond

The controversy comes after the Vikings announced that two men, Blaize Shiek and Louie Conn, had been added to the cheerleading team for the 2025 season.

The team released a statement defending the move, emphasizing that male cheerleaders are hardly new to football.

“While many fans may be seeing male cheerleaders for the first time at Vikings games, male cheerleaders have been part of previous Vikings teams and have long been associated with collegiate and professional cheerleading,” the statement read.

The organization noted that all members of the squad—men and women alike—undergo the same demanding audition process. “In 2025, approximately one-third of NFL teams have male cheerleaders,” the team continued. “Individuals were selected because of their talent, passion for dance, and dedication to elevating the game day experience. We support all our cheerleaders and are proud of the role they play as ambassadors of the organization.”

A Larger NFL Debate

Though Cain’s comments were delivered in a joking, lighthearted setting, they highlight a broader cultural debate in the NFL. As more franchises embrace coed squads, traditionalists often clash with those who view the changes as a natural evolution of game-day entertainment.

For now, the Vikings are standing firmly behind their decision, and male cheerleaders are becoming an increasingly common sight across the league. Whether critics like Cain—or perhaps even Pete Hegseth—will ever accept them is another question entirely.