Berkleigh Wright Reflects on Her Decision to Retire From Pro Cheerleading, Recalls ‘Bittersweet’ Last Countdown

We caught up with the 2024 SI Swimsuit rookie, who left the Denver Broncos earlier this year.

Berkleigh Wright for the Denver Broncos / Justin Edmonds/Getty Images

Ask any NFL cheerleader, and they’ll tell you their career is more than just a job—it’s a sisterhood, a dream come true and a chance to inspire from the sidelines. For Berkleigh Wright, her seven remarkable years as part of the Denver Broncos organization were filled with unforgettable performances, lifelong friendships and moments that defined her both on and off the field. As she gracefully hung up her pom-poms this year, Wright closed a chapter deeply woven into her identity and the emotions of her final countdown still linger in her heart.

We caught up with Wright this summer, upon the release of the viral America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Netflix docu-series and she candidly and eloquently divulged the complexities of saying goodbye to a lifelong dream.

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We chatted with the 30-year-old, who celebrated her milestone birthday in June, on what it meant to let go, how she made her decision and the reflections that have come with it.

Wright initially retired after two years of cheering, feeling content with what she had accomplished and ready to embark on a new chapter in her life.

“When I [first] decided to retire, I thought I was 100% done. Like, there was not a thought in my mind that I would be coming back to the team. I was fully satisfied with the two years that I had, and so I was moving on to a chapter in my life that I was ready for,” she shared, noting that after a much-needed year off, she craved to be back in the midst of the action, much to her surprise. “I knew what I could lose. I remember calling my coaches and letting them know that I’m coming back and would like to try out. [I knew that I would have to] earn my spot back and prove myself again to the team,”

Berkleigh Wright / Justin Edmonds/Getty Images

Her return to the team brought a profound sense of fulfillment and clarity: “I felt like more myself than ever and more where I was supposed to be than ever,” she shared. But after the 2023/2024 season when she served as captain, and it came time to retire for good, Wright’s emotions were much more complex.

“I definitely think I made the right decision. I felt like I had given the team as much of me as I could, and was leaving behind a really good legacy. I felt like I had set the girls up for success in the future, and I had experienced everything I wished out of the program,” she shared. “I just felt so fulfilled by it. I was ready to pass on my chaps to someone who was ready to fill their cup too, because I felt like mine was full. But it’s bittersweet, like ending a five-year, incredible relationship—you’re never ready to say goodbye, but at some point, you have to.”

Wright got a bit emotional recalling her final game, a memory she will cherish forever. The weight of the moment hit her hardest during the last quarter, as the countdown to her retirement began.

Denver Broncos cheerleaders / Justin Bradford/Getty Images

"When my last game came, it [felt like] the quickest I’ve ever cheered. The last quarter was super emotional for me. I was just having so much fun with my teammates, but then I started to get emotional thinking about it. Watching the clock tick down, I had this surreal feeling, knowing I would never be on that field in my uniform again,” she said. “I took in the moment, looking up at the fans, cherishing every second. And then during the national anthem, I got super emotional because that was always one of my very favorite parts of every game.”

The Kansas native also made the exciting decision to move to Los Angeles this year. While she still keeps up with her full-time job as a technical account coordinator at Oracle, she is pivoting the time and energy she spent on cheerleading to fashion and modeling. And, she’s certainly having a blast with it and succeeding.

“[When] you’re saying goodbye to something that was such a huge, instrumental part of your life, I don’t think anyone is ever ready, no matter how much you mentally prepare for it. But now I’m on the other side of it, and I feel 100% that I made the right decision. I’m relieved. I’m able to focus on other things now that I wasn’t able to do prior,” she added. “Over the last seven years that I was a part of the organization, but the five that I was on the team, it’s definitely shaped me. It’s taught me so much, brought me experiences that I would never, ever gain otherwise. And I think it’s also pushed me to take it to the next level with where I’m at now, with Sports Illustrated [Swimsuit].”

Berkleigh Wright was photographed by Derek Kettela in Belize. Swimsuit by Andi Bagus. Sunglasses by Oscar x Frank. / Derek Kettela/Sports Illustrated

The 2024 rookie applied to the Swim Search last year and was named one of seven co-winners of the open casting call, securing her spot in the special 60th anniversary magazine. She traveled to Belize with photographer Ben Watts for her rookie feature, and the resulting images are absolutely stunning.