Julie’s son’s Jack (left) and Mason watched
her perform for the first time.
Julie Dehner, BSN, RN, last performed as a Kansas City Chiefs cheerleader almost 30 years ago. Now, a wife and mother of two, she recently returned to Arrowhead Stadium (now GEHA Field) to perform for a sold-out crowd of 73,000 fans attending the Chiefs vs. the Los Angeles Rams game. “The crowd was great,” she smiled. “They were rooting for us.”
Julie, a cardiovascular clinical trial coordinator, joined more than 300 current and former Kansas City Chiefs cheerleaders for a 60th reunion event on Nov. 27. The ladies, ages 18 to 70, learned a routine and performed at halftime.
“It was fun to see everyone again and make new memories,” Julie said. “My sons, Jack and Mason, had never seen me perform, so I think they had fun watching their old mom.”
Julie cheered during the 1993 season when the team acquired quarterback Joe Montana and running back Marcus Allen.
That season, Kansas City advanced to the AFC Championship before losing to the Buffalo Bills, which started the Chiefs’ NFL record eight-game playoff losing streak. It would be 22 years before the Chiefs would win another playoff game, and 25 years until they won another playoff game at Arrowhead. Julie has remained a supporter even after hanging up her pompoms. Like other Chiefs fans, she hopes her team makes another Super Bowl appearance this year.
