Do cheerleaders need to wear helmets? Ball hits Cowboys cheerleader in head, knocks her down

Michelle Siemienowski’s first season as a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader came to an exciting conclusion Sunday — so exciting that she deemed it necessary to provide an update on her well-being later that day on social media.

“I’m alright everyone,” the San Diego native posted on her Instagram Stories, along with a video clip that showed her getting bonked on the head with the football on an errant kickoff by Dallas kicker Brandon Aubrey during the Cowboys’ season-ending loss Sunday to the Washington Commanders at AT&T Stadium.

The incident happened early in the second quarter after Aubrey’s second field goal of the day, which gave Dallas a 6-0 lead. Aubrey kicked off from the 50 yard-line because of a Washington penalty and unintentionally booted the ball out of bounds at around the 10, which just happened to be where Siemienowski and her squad were standing on the sideline.

A Fox Sports cameraman attempted to block the ball as it came down, but it bounced off his hand and then high off the right side of an unsuspecting Siemienowski’s head. The hard hit knocked Siemienowski forward onto her hands and knees, but she stood up immediately with a smile on her face, although possibly with a tear or two in her eyes.

“Claiming the motto cry now laugh later,” she wrote on another Instagram Story post that also featured a clip of her taking a moment in a chair on the sideline after the incident and laughing when a fellow Cowboys cheerleader offers her what appears to be a beer.

In the clip, Commanders punter Tress Way appears to ask if she’s OK, and Siemienowski smiles and seems to indicate that she’s fine.

Later on TikTok, Siemienowski posted another video of her knock to the noggin, this time humorously set to music.

“Trying to make light of the situation,” she wrote. “I am doing alright for those wondering!”

The Times was unable to reach Siemienowski. The Cowboys, who finished 7-10 and did not make the NFL postseason, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

According to her Instagram page, Siemienowski graduated from UC Santa Barbara in June with degrees in economics and dance. She also spent four years on the UCSB dance team before trying out for the Cowboys cheerleading squad this summer.