Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Return to Netflix in ‘America’s Sweetheart’ Season 3 Trailer

The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders are grappling with the influence of Netflix.

For 16 seasons, CMT’s show “Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: How to Make a Team” chronicled the auditions for the best dance teams. But even if the show is a success, it pales into insignificance compared to the size of the audience that watches Netflix around the world. The first season of “America’s Sweethearts” garnered 2.3 million views in its first four days on the streamer and reached the top 10 in 27 countries. Season 2 started with 3.3 million views and reached the top 10 in 20 countries. Last summer, Variety exclusively revealed that a third season was in the works. The seven new episodes, which begin streaming on June 16, follow the 2025-26 team as they navigate the ups and downs of viral fame.

“This is the first time you’ll see an application because you watched ‘America Sweethearts’ on Netflix,” says longtime DCC senior director Kelly Finglas at the beginning of the Season 3 trailer. She and head choreographer Judy Trammell have led the team for decades, but since the Netflix show they’ve been flooded with applications from elite performers from around the world.

One brave applicant is from Australia, but she worries her nationality will be a barrier to entry. “They would never want an Australian gal to represent America’s sweethearts,” she tells the camera. (Incidentally, DCC has hired international talent before.)

But as fans of this documentary know, not all that glitters is gold when it comes to being a professional cheerleader.

“When you become a cheerleader for the Dallas Cowboys, you already have a lot of weight on your shoulders,” says one of the dancers in the Season 3 trailer. “Some people like it, some people don’t. I think the question is whether you can deal with it.”

And with such global fame comes even more scrutiny.

“As much as I get positive feedback, there’s a lot of negative feedback,” says Reese, one of the DCC veterans who has been featured in the docuseries since Season 1, when he tried out for the star-studded team.

“That’s why we need to keep them busy, focused and positive,” Finglas added. “I can’t listen to people I don’t like.”

Directed by Emmy Award winner Greg Whiteley (Cheer, Last Chance U) and episode co-directed by Zoe Lillintzis, America’s Sweetheart: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders follows dancers from their auditions to their grueling training camps. In his signature verité style, Whiteley reveals more than ever about the women who do high kicks (and jump splits) in DCC’s signature high-heeled cowboy boots.

The women must navigate the team’s rigorous protocols while battling injuries, mental health issues and other stressors. Season 2 featured a group of veterans fighting for, and ultimately earning, significant raises for their future teams. This season, the stakes are higher than ever. “With 30 veterans returning to audition, the bar for talent is rising, with only six coveted spots left for promising newcomers,” the synopsis teases.

“As DCC’s global profile grows, the women at its center must cope with a new level of attention,” the synopsis continues. “With incredible opportunities, including a first-ever DCC tour, marquee appearances, and a growing social media platform, comes increased scrutiny and demands for perfection. With in-stadium performances and viral moments, our teams have joined forces to step into the spotlight and define the DCC tradition.”

“America’s Sweethearts” is produced by One Potato Productions. Whiteley will executive produce alongside One Potato Productions’ Adam Leibowitz, Boardwalk Pictures’ Andrew Freed and Dane Lillegard, and Campfire Studios’ Ross M. Dinerstein and Rebecca Evans.

Watch the full trailer below.