Panthers transgender cheerleader gets cut from team — then blames exactly what you'd expect

The first transgender cheerleader in the NFL has been ousted from the organization over his gender identity, the dancer claimed.

While male cheerleaders recently sprung into existence in the NFL, Justine Lindsay became the first alleged transgender cheerleader in the league for the Carolina Panthers in 2022.

'Why the hell would I not wanna come back.'

At the time, the Panthers organization defended the move, saying the TopCats cheer squad members are "hired based on their qualifications and abilities."

The team told NPR, "We wish all the TopCats, including Justine Lindsay, an incredible season."

Now more than halfway through the 2025 season, Lindsay claims the reason he was let go by the organization was because he is transgender.

"I was cut because I'm trans," the cheerleader said during an Instagram live broadcast, according to Them.

"I don't wanna hear nobody saying 'She didn't wanna come back.' Why the hell would I not wanna come back to an organization that I've been a part of for three years?" Lindsay added.

Despite reportedly being "devastated" and "hurt," the cheerleader pinpointed one person within the organization who was to blame.

RELATED: First trans NFL cheerleader hopes to influence youth: 'I’m setting things up for the younger generation'

(L-R) Justine Lindsay and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell attend a Night of Pride with GLAAD and NFL on February 8, 2023, in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Daniel Boczarski/Getty Images for GLAAD)

Lindsay fingered a new Panthers cheerleading coach as the reason for the departure, citing prior interactions with the woman.

"When she came over to our organization, I was like, 'Oh hell, here we go. Imma have to deal with the same mess that I dealt with two years prior,'" Lindsay claimed.

The 33-year-old accused the team of not "looking at the bigger picture" as far as who the cheerleader was "changing lives for."

"It was like a big slap in the face to not only me but for the youth," Lindsay added, before allegedly saying he was cut off after President Trump's re-election.

The North Carolina native confirmed in August that he had been released by the team but did not provide details surrounding the move. Instead, he provided the following statement to OutSports and insulted the president.

"For now, I’m focusing on my pageantry work and community involvement, striving to be recognized not just as an NFL cheerleader, but as someone making a positive impact, especially during these uncertain times," he said.

Lindsay called being in the NFL a "stepping stone" before adding, "Don't let a president who is delusional stop them from reaching their goals whether they are trans, African-American, not American, etc."

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Carolina Panthers cheerleaders prior to the NFL 2025 game against the Atlanta Falcons at Bank of America Stadium on September 21, 2025, in Charlotte, North Carolina. Photo by Kara Durrette/Getty Images

In 2023, Lindsay said he wanted to influence youth through his position and compared his fight to become an NFL cheerleader with becoming a doctor.

"Everything that I'm going through now, it's bigger than me," he told Elle. "I'm setting things up for the younger generation. No one is going to stop this show."

"I want to change the narrative for my trans sisters and brothers, just to [let them] know that if you have a goal, go for it," he said. "Turn that dream into a reality. Be an NFL cheerleader or a doctor or a nurse or whatever you set your mind to."

Lindsay says his exodus from the Panthers "doesn't mean I'm not still with the NFL" and claimed he still has "a lot of great connections" in the league.

"It's just a slap in the face," he complained.

Panthers ownership group Tepper Sports Entertainment did not respond to a request for comment.

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