For NFL cheerleaders, game-day preparation goes far beyond perfecting routines and choosing the right glam. One of the most unexpectedly meticulous and time-consuming tasks? Fluffing pom poms.
In a now-viral TikTok video, Miami Dolphins cheerleader Bella Denton shared a little-known fact about the squad’s game-day routine, revealing that each cheerleader is responsible for fluffing their own pom poms—a process that takes far longer than most people would imagine.
Two and a Half Hours Per Pom Pom?
Denton stunned fans with the sheer amount of time it takes to properly fluff just one pom pom.
“We fluff our own poms, and fluffing one pom takes me like two-and-a-half hours,” Denton explained in the clip, which highlights behind-the-scenes secrets of being an NFL cheerleader.
She emphasized that while the process is tedious, it is also incredibly rewarding once completed.
“It takes so long to fluff,” she reiterated. “But once it’s done, it’s so rewarding because they look so pretty and new.”
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A Detailed, Step-by-Step Process
Fellow Miami Dolphins cheerleader Dre DiLorenzo also took to TikTok to provide a step-by-step tutorial, responding to numerous requests from fans curious about how the cheerleaders achieve their pom poms’ signature fluffy and fabulous look.
DiLorenzo began by showing her “before” pom poms, demonstrating how deflated and raggedy they appear after multiple uses. She then broke down the labor-intensive process of restoring them to their game-day glory.
Because each strand must be individually tended to, DiLorenzo’s tutorial confirmed Denton’s claim about why fluffing a pom pom is such a painstaking and time-intensive process.
Denton’s Pom Pom Fluffing Method
Denton later followed up with her own detailed tutorial, showcasing her team’s iconic orange, aqua, white, and silver pom poms and explaining exactly why fluffing them takes so long.
“With our poms specifically, they are very big and have many different sections and different colors,” Denton explained. “It’s definitely time-consuming, especially if you’re new to it.”
In her tutorial, she broke down her go-to technique for achieving the perfect, fluffy look:
- Sectioning the Pom Pom – Denton showed the metal bar in the center, which cheerleaders use to grip the pom during performances. She recommended tying off one side with a hair tie to keep it out of the way while working on the other.
- The Tug-and-Pull Method – The core technique involves “splitting, tugging, and pulling” each individual strand to maximize volume.
“Basically, the tugging and pulling in opposite directions creates the fluffing effect,” she demonstrated.
Why Pom Pom Maintenance Matters
While it may seem like a minor detail, properly fluffed pom poms make a significant difference in performances. A fuller, bouncier pom pom catches the light better, enhancing visual effects and movement during dance routines. Given the fast-paced, high-energy nature of NFL cheerleading, the difference between a perfectly prepped pom pom and a flattened, unfluffed one can be surprisingly noticeable.
Despite the time-consuming nature of the process, Denton and her fellow Dolphins cheerleaders embrace the task as an essential part of game-day prep.
So next time you see an NFL cheerleader waving those vibrant, perfectly fluffed pom poms, remember—it took hours of dedicated work to achieve that effortlessly dazzling effect