Brownsville native is a NFL cheerleader for the Atlanta Falcons
Submitted photos
Brownsville native Kacey Furlong, a cheerleader with the Atlanta Falcons, poses for a photo with her parents, Roxie Furlong (left) and David Furlong (right).
Submitted photo
Brownsville native Kacey Furlong is in her second year of being a cheerleader with the Atlanta Falcons.
Submitted photo
Brownsville native Kacey Furlong is in her second year of being a cheerleader with the Atlanta Falcons.
One of the biggest misconceptions about being an NFL cheerleader is that they grew up in cheer, said Brownsville native Kacey Furlong.
鈥淓veryone thinks we were cheerleaders, but we all have dance backgrounds,鈥� said Furlong, 23, a 2018 graduate of Brownsville Area High School. 鈥淒ancing was my main passion and continues to be.鈥�
The former Brownsville Falcon is in her second year of cheering on pro football鈥檚 Atlanta Falcons, drawing on her competitive dance background that includes everything from ballet to hip-hop.
Following her high school graduation, Furlong attended West Virginia University and majored in marketing. There, she was a member of WVU鈥檚 dance team, performing at football and basketball games. She said she loves dancing because it lets her live in the moment, and she did just that when as a soon-to-be-graduating senior in the spring of 2022, she decided to audition to be a Falcons鈥� cheerleader.
The process started with her sending a video showing the judges her freestyle dance moves.
Even though she didn鈥檛 think much about her audition video after it was sent, Furlong soon learned she made it to the second round of tryouts. That required her to learn additional dance routines, and send videos back to the judges.
By May, she learned she鈥檇 made it to the final round. Instead of walking in her WVU graduation ceremony, Furlong and her father drove to Atlanta so she could participate in the two-day process.
Of the 700 who auditioned, eight Atlanta Falcon cheerleaders were chosen 鈥� Furlong among them.
鈥淚n my head, I was just in shock. I didn鈥檛 know what just happened, I didn鈥檛 feel like they picked the right person,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t took a while for the moment to soak in. My dad was so excited, but it didn鈥檛 quite hit me, and it didn鈥檛 soak in until that week.鈥�
After making the team, Furlong had five days to drive home, say goodbye to her mother, Roxie, and head back to Atlanta to find a job.
That鈥檚 another misconception, she pointed out: being an NFL cheerleader is not a full-time job.
鈥淚n order to be on the team, you need to be a full-time student or have a full-time job,鈥� Furlong said, adding that one member of the cheer team is an anesthesiologist. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e passionate about you having something else, too.鈥�
Although Furlong is currently working in sales, she鈥檚 hoping to get her realtor鈥檚 license.
鈥淲e practice twice or three times a week, depending on the game schedule,鈥� Furlong said. 鈥淚 work 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., then to the stadium from 5 to 10 p.m. So some days are crazy, but I wouldn鈥檛 change it for the world.鈥�
Much like her experience with dancing, Furlong said when she鈥檚 out on the field, that passion she feels continues to grow during every game. And, she said, she still has moments where she can鈥檛 believe she gets to do what she loves.
It鈥檚 also provided her some unique experiences she鈥檇 likely not have otherwise had. At a recent halftime show, the cheerleaders performed a dance routine while Bobby Brown sang. They鈥檝e also performed at concerts for Usher and Maroon 5, and made an appearance at an event to honor breast cancer survivors.
Although cheerleading takes up a lot of Furlong鈥檚 time, she鈥檚 still trains at dance classes.
鈥淚t鈥檚 an escape from reality and daily stress that comes along with life,鈥� she said. 鈥淲henever I鈥檓 at dance practice or at a game, I鈥檓 in the moment and nothing else matters.鈥�
The NFL requires its cheerleaders to audition each season, and Furlong remained with the Falcons this year. After the 2023-24 football season is in the books, she鈥檚 not sure what she鈥檒l do.
鈥淚n my head, I鈥檓 saying one more year,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 hard being away from my family, but this is a dream come true, so I might be here five years. I鈥檒l take it day by day and see.鈥�