Kelcey Wetterberg Breaks Down Her Thanksgiving Gamedays with the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Kelcey Wetterberg performing on Nov. 23, 2023.Photo:Kevin Sabitus/Getty

Kevin Sabitus/Getty

For decades, football on Thanksgiving has been a holiday tradition, with the Dallas Cowboys being one of two NFL teams to play an annual Turkey Day game. Over the years, the halftime show featuring superstar musicians — and theDallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, of course — has become a memorable part of the experience.

This year will be no different as the Cowboys take on the New York Giants whileLainey Wilsonand the DCC squad — who are now bigger than ever following the first season ofAmerica’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders—perform liveat AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on Thursday, Nov. 28.

Kelcey Wetterberg, one of the breakout stars of the Netflix docuseries, breaks down what her Thanksgiving gamedays were like with the cheerleaders, telling PEOPLE about working with artists likeDolly Partonand theJonas Brotherson their routines and the turkey dinners the team gets to share before stepping out on the field.

Depending on when the squad finds out about who is leading the halftime show influences how early on before the game they can start figuring out what their routine will be. “We found out who the artist was at different times every year,” Wetterberg says, adding that once that’s locked in, they eventually “get their set list and their music.”

Kelcey Wetterberg and the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders on Nov. 23, 2023.Kevin Sabitus/Getty

There is a lot of behind-the-scenes action that goes into creating the actual show, withDCC director Kelli Finglassand choreographer Judy Trammell putting together the final routine for the artist to see.

“It’s always kind of a wild performance because even up to the day before, it can change a ton,” the former squad group leader says, explaining that “they may change their music a little bit, which changes our choreography completely.”

One such example is when the Jonas Brothers performed for a second time in 2022. Their halftime show “actually changed a ton,” Wetterberg says, explaining that “they day before when they came in and started seeing everything — I mean, these artists have such specific visions and we want to complete that, obviously — so when they come in and they wanna change things a bit, we just have to pivot and make it match exactly what they’re imagining.”

She adds, “It can be a little bit of a stressful preparation, but it’s always so fun.”

Dolly Parton performing on Nov. 23, 2023.Ron Jenkins/Getty

Ron Jenkins/Getty

She adds that Parton was her “number one” favorite performance, noting “there’s no one that competes with that in my mind,” before revealing she also loved when Luke Combs performed in 2021. “Personally, I’m a huge fan, so that was a fun one.”

For the squad, that means any family celebrations are put on hold until after the game or the next day, on Black Friday. During some years, Wetterberg spent the evening with friends' families, who join them out to eat, while others have been with her fiancé, Nate Crnkovich, and his parents who spend the weekend with them.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

“So, we’ll either do a little bit of a later dinner that night or we’ll do it the next day,” she says, adding that her own family typically spends the holiday in Nebraska, where they watch halftime shows from home.

That said, Wetterberg reveals that the DCC squad does get to have their own dinner before the game starts. “We have this huge feast at the stadium that’s actually really good,” she shares, noting that it has every kind of Thanksgiving craving, including “pie, turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes.” Her favorite item? “Pumpkin pie for sure.”

Kelcey Wetterberg performing on Nov. 12, 2023.Ron Jenkins/Getty

Much to the surprise of fans, the cheerleaders “really chow down” before the game starts. “We eat a ton before we dance because you’re dancing for four hours straight,” Wetterberg says. “So that turkey and mashed potatoes, I mean, you burn it all right off.”

“It’s really cool to sit there with your friends and take a step back from the busyness and just realize how lucky we really are,” she continues.

This Thanksgiving will be a bit different for Wetterberg, whostepped back from the team at the end of last season. Now, the pediatric nurse is a DCC All-Star, an alumni extension of the squad, meaning that she’ll “perform about two hours before the game outside of the stadium,” she says, adding that she’ll then get to go home early and spend the rest of the day with her fiancé and his parents. “We can have an actual Thanksgiving meal,” she says.

Wetterberg adds, “You’re always gonna feel a little nostalgic on Thanksgiving… Those are some of my most fond memories from being on the team, and I got to dance with some really cool artists.”

source: people.com