Women are rising up the ranks throughout professional football, earning positions of power in a space that for too long was ruled almost exclusively by men. We're seeing more and more women breaking barriers in the sport, but what are the stories beyond the headlines? Who are the women shaping and influencing the NFL today? Answering those questions is the aim of the Next Woman Up series. While the conversational Q&As are edited and condensed for clarity, this is a forum for impactful women to share experiences in their own words. Without further ado, we introduce:
Tiphanie McNiff, Las Vegas Raiders
Position: Director of the Raiderettes
You've been a dancer and choreographer for a long time. When did you know you wanted to pursue this career?
In college, the career path I had hoped for was broadcast journalism. I started working and getting internships in that field, but at the same time, I became a professional cheerleader for the Oakland Raiders. That time in my life transformed everything for me. I was a young 21-year-old excited to pursue college and dance. When I started dancing, it was that moment when I really realized that was what I wanted to do with my life.
As director of the Raiderettes, what does your role entail?
My role entails every aspect of coaching, branding, marketing, every piece of choreography, cutting music, everything. I oversee every part of the brand, including social media to game day -- every piece.
There are some shows out there that explain how much NFL cheerleaders put into their craft. In your words, what does it take to be an NFL cheerleader?
It takes a lot of time and commitment to be an NFL cheerleader, and it takes a lot of balancing schedules. All 32 members of my team have careers outside of this. I have five nurses on my team -- two women retired this year because they got into medical school. I have small business owners, hairdressers, a baker and so many others who have full-time careers.
We practice three times per week during the regular season, but if we have a home game, then we practice four times per week. In addition to that, we'll have an extra rehearsal if there are halftime performances that we need to learn last-minute. Outside of that, we own our own dance studio and are open to the public Monday through Thursday. We see about 120 kids per day, ages 4 to collegiate dancers who are 18 to 21 years old.
You choreographed a routine last year for the Sunday Night Football theme song with Carrie Underwood. What is the process like for a project of that magnitude?
Being in an entertainment capital like Las Vegas, we are very fortunate to have a lot of opportunities come our way. I received a call from the producers of Sunday Night Football last year. They told me they needed cheerleaders and asked me to choreograph something. They sent me the music track without the vocals, and it went really well in our first year. I got the privilege of doing it again for 2025, and it's been a dream come true for our cheerleaders. Outside of that, we have performed on so many amazing stages. We just performed with a 62-piece orchestra at the Smith Center in Las Vegas. We have performed with Fuerza Regida, one of the biggest Mexican American bands, and that was the coolest experience. We are so fortunate to have so many acts come through Las Vegas that want to include us in their performances.
Also, having choreographed for so many years, how do you keep the routines fresh?
You definitely have to lean on others. You can't always expect your choreography to be the best or that you have the best ideas. I know what my strengths are, and I am great at choreographing that specific style. But anything outside of that wheelhouse, I will lean on members of my team and outsource to other choreographers. I am always trying to stay up to date with trends and find what looks great, but it's also about knowing when to take a step back and lean on others' expertise.
That's a good approach. And when you look at your career as a whole, why do you think you've had so much success?
I have been very resilient. I started my dance journey at 21 years old. I tried out for the Raiderettes at 20 and didn't make the team. I tried out the next year and made it. I also began coaching at a collegiate level at 21 years old. I feel like a lot of that was trial and error. I learned a lot during that chapter of my life. I spent four years coaching at Fresno State, four years at Cal Berkeley and four more years at UCLA. By the time I got to this level, I had many successes and many failures -- and I learned from all of them. I think I took the best thing from each place and brought it to this position.
That's a great quality, especially in this industry. What is the most challenging part of your job?
I don't know if there is a "most challenging part." The NFL is a live show, so you are constantly moving and pivoting. My head is constantly on a swivel and ready to adapt. Managing 32 people is probably the most challenging piece because this is real life. People have amazing days, and then there are days where we all need some help. It's my job to be a consistent leader throughout the good, bad and ugly. These are real people who have responsibilities, careers and families who make them who they are. I try to make sure I help them through all phases of their lives, not just in a practice capacity.
What does your schedule on game day look like?
Game day is a very long day for us, but it's the best day. If we have a regular 1 p.m. local kickoff, we meet at the dance studio at about 5 a.m. We run through our routines for about 15 minutes before loading the bus and leaving for the stadium at 6 a.m. We'll start practicing at the stadium around 7:30 and get game-ready from 8 to 10 a.m. From 10 a.m. to noon, we'll visit about seven to eight different spots, perform at tailgates, fan activations and a variety of other areas, including a Make-A-Wish visit or photo opportunities. Thirty minutes to kickoff, it's performance time for us. We take the field and do our pregame routine and continue throughout the game. We get back on the bus around 5 p.m., so it's about a 12-hour day that's very jampacked. But it's the best part of what we do because everything we prepare for all summer happens in that one game.
What are you most proud of?
I'm most proud of the legacy I'm building for future generations. I'm a single mom to a 5-year-old girl, Harlow, so for me to see her being raised around 32 remarkable women who are making an impact in the community, that's what I'm most proud of. I love that my team is so talented in what they do on the field and off it. Those kinds of role models are so important.
Now, let's turn to mentorship. Do you have any mentors, and what advice have you received from them?
My two biggest mentors are my mom, Danette Thomas, and Karen Kovac. My mom has been instrumental in my dance career. My dream was to be a professional ballerina, and I trained for years to do that. I made it into some of the top ballet summer intensives by the time I was 12, but I had some crazy injuries and my life took a turn. I wasn't able to do ballet anymore, and my mom told me to try cheerleading. I thought, No way am I doing that. Without her encouragement, I would never have ended up in the position I am now. Going back to when I started dance, she was a single mom who took an additional job at my dance studio to get me free tuition so I could take class.
Professionally, my mentor is my coach from when I was a Raiderette, Karen Kovac. She has encouraged me every step of the way. It's not so much her words but her support. Watching her when I was on the team and seeing the type of leader she was really inspired me to become a coach.
That's amazing. Having support is so important. What advice do you have for other women looking to get into a career in this space?
In terms of the young kids, I really encourage them to believe in themselves and to keep going. I check on them daily in the studio and want them to have a great time. Burnout is so common in the dance industry, so I want to make sure the kids taking classes are having a great experience. I want them to feel pushed but not to a point where they are suffering from burnout. I think we've done a great job fostering a dance community with a great atmosphere where we are giving them performance opportunities but not emphasizing winning.
For my team, my goal for them is to leave better than when they came in. I hope that every dancer on my team leaves as a more confident version of themselves, a more talented version and well-spoken version. I really try to help them find their path within their careers, so when they leave here, it's not hard for them to move on to the next step. It's always hard to see team members move on to the next chapter, but it's been humbling and exciting to watch them pass the bar or get into medical school. We also have a first lieutenant in the United States Air Force. Seeing them achieve so many dreams is inspiring. These women are amazing.
I think people look at professional cheerleaders and say, "They're so pretty and good dancers." They don't realize there is so much depth behind these women, and they do so much within the community that makes them spectacular.
And lastly, what are other goals for your career?
In the short term, I want to improve and grow our brand and make us one of the most competitive teams in NFL cheerleading. In the long term, I want to provide as many opportunities as possible for my team. My dream -- and I've pitched it a million times -- is to have my team be in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. It's something I have watched since I was 3 years old. I want my team and the hundreds of Raiderettes alumni in the parade. I have applied the last four years and haven't gotten a yes yet. I'm going to keep trying.
