Football season is in full swing, and just about every team fields more than hulking he-men in pads and helmets. There is also a softer side to the NFL: The San Diego Chargerettes, The Buffalo Jills, The Chicago Honey Bears, The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, to name a few.
The NFL didn't invent cheerleading—in fact, in the olden days a lot of squads were just borrowed from local high school—but the Dallas Cowboys re-invented cheerleading in 1972 with their short shorts, go-go boots, and bare midriffs. Before long, people were complaining that the NFL was too sexy for family entertainment.
Here we've got a little bit of everything—the conservative '60s, the sexy '70s, and the WTF '80s. Enjoy these 30 vintage photos of the sideline sirens of the NFL.