Watch: first male performer joins NFL’s New Orleans Saints dance team

Jessie Hernandez made history as the first male performer on the New Orleans Saints Saintsations dance squad on Friday.

Hernandez, 25, performed with the squad for the Saints’ preseason match against the Arizona Cardinals in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. He performed the routine along with the rest of the squad but unlike his female counterparts, Hernandez did not have pom poms.

Hernandez is one of three male cheerleaders joining an NFL league this season. Quinton Peron and Napoleon Jinnies will also perform with the Los Angeles Rams’ squad.

Peron and Jinnies were the inspiration for Hernandez to try out for the Saints.

“A big reason why I wanted to try out and be a part of this great team is… my mom sent me a link about the LA Rams’ male cheerleaders who made the team a couple of weeks ago,” Hernandez told KATC. “The process has been great, everyone has been really nice to me and I can’t wait to see where this goes.”

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