Berkleigh Wright’s WAG Era Is As Iconic As Her SI Swim Debut

We’re throwing it back to the former Denver Broncos cheerleader’s first shoot in the fold.

Berkleigh Wright was photographed by Derek Kettela in Belize. / Derek Kettela/Sports Illustrated

Four months after her final performance with the Denver Broncos cheer team in January 2024, Berkleigh Wright rang in her rookie season at SI Swimsuit.

The Swim Search winner, who was introduced to the brand during its 2023 open casting call, touched down in Belize for her inaugural shoot in the fold.

Berkleigh Wright was photographed by Derek Kettela in Belize. Swimsuit by Andi Bagus. Bolero by Free People. / Derek Kettela/Sports Illustrated

“Becoming a rookie—it helped me come out of my shell and also just like realize my potential and everything else that I wanted to do,” Wright told the brand on her inaugural feature. “I was reaching the peak of my cheerleading career, I was ready to take that next step, and [SI Swimsuit] really helped me realize that I was ready to do that.”

Berkleigh Wright was photographed by Derek Kettela in Belize. Swimsuit by Frankies Bikinis. / Derek Kettela/Sports Illustrated

Photographed by Derek Kettela, Wright took her infectious smile and bubbly personality to the seaside. She donned a handful of red numbers and even smiled for a few snapshots with fellow brand newbie XANDRA, who joined her on set. “Today has been just unlike anything that I could have ever imagined in my head,” she said of her official debut as an SI Swimsuit model.

Berkleigh Wright was photographed by Derek Kettela in Belize. Swimsuit by Toxic Sadie Swimwear. / Derek Kettela/Sports Illustrated

Now, over a year later, she’s bringing that same energy to NFL stadiums, in support of her boyfriend—Carolina Panthers punter, Sam Martin. “I’m still definitely cheering,” the model joked, referring to her half-decade stint in the Centennial State, “But just from a different seat and for a different team, of course.”

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

Wright also mentioned that her new role comes with its own sense of nostalgia. “I’m still wishing to be there, like right on the field,” she continued. “But it’s also just fun being a fan and not having to stress or worry about what I’m doing and how I’m performing.”

Still, she’s not completely stress-free. “Obviously, I stress about him playing well and him staying healthy and all of those things,” she added. The model deemed it “a different type of stress,” though, one she embraces “in a good way.”

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Or perhaps Wright’s stress is actually luck hard at work. After the team’s first two away matchups of the regular season—which resulted in a duo of consecutive losses to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Arizona Cardinals—they scored their first win of the regular season at home, with a whopping 30-0 victory over the Atlanta Falcons.

Will Martin’s squad carry that momentum into Week 4? They’ll travel to Foxboro, Mass., to face the 1-2 New England Patriots today, Sept. 28, at 1 p.m. ET.

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