Dallas Cowboys cheerleader Michelle Siemienowski had an unexpected highlight during the team’s final game of the season against the Washington Commanders when a misdirected kickoff from Brandon Aubrey hit her in the back of the head.
Despite the mishap, Siemienowski has taken it all in stride, sharing the kicker’s heartfelt apology and expressing gratitude for the outpouring of support from fans.
The incident occurred during the first half of Sunday’s game at AT&T Stadium when Aubrey’s kick went awry near the 10-yard line. A cameraman’s attempt to intervene wasn’t enough to stop the ball from striking Siemienowski, knocking her off balance. The rookie cheerleader quickly recovered, smiling through the moment as her teammates checked on her.
Cowboys All-Pro kicker, Brandon Aubrey, wrote an apology note to the cheerleader he hit with a kickoff
The Dumb Zone 1-7-25 pic.twitter.com/vcsjlI9VN8
— The Dumb Zone (@thedumbzone) January 7, 2025
On Monday, Siemienowski addressed the situation on her Instagram Stories, reassuring everyone she was unharmed. “This past 24 hours has been a whirlwind!” she wrote. “I got a ton of messages and wanted to thank you all for checking in and for your kind words. I am all okay, so no need to worry.”
She also shared a note from Aubrey, who was unable to locate her on the field after the incident but made sure to send his apologies. “Michelle, so sorry about hitting you on (kickoff)! Hope you are doing well! Love watching y’all!” the note read. Siemienowski praised Aubrey’s thoughtfulness, writing, “No hard feelings here! And now I have a souvenir for my last game of my rookie season!”
The moment served as an unexpected end to a challenging game for the Cowboys, who fell to the Commanders. However, it didn’t overshadow Aubrey’s record-setting season.
The former soccer player turned NFL kicker achieved 40 field goals this year, making him just the fifth kicker in league history to reach that milestone.
Brandon Aubrey smashes cheerleader mid game pic.twitter.com/ckPE11oPJg
— NFL Memes (@NFLHateMemes) January 5, 2025
For Siemienowski, the incident marked a memorable close to her first season as a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader, proving that even an unexpected moment can leave a positive impression when handled with grace and good humor.
