The 20 Biggest Cheerleader Takedowns in Sports

Photo Source: Dallas Morning News

Cheerleaders get their share of worship for their curves, their moves and their hotness. But what we don't give them credit for is their grit, their courage or their resilience.

Folks, these gals are on the front line and in the line of fire.

They take hits. They get dropped, flung, stampeded and even devoured by mascots. 

Click on for a tribute to these brave soldiers of sportsdom—the cheerleaders.

20. Stoic Brunette Gets Leveled

How noble this young girl is.

How brave!

She must stand with her back to the stampede, never looking back, never doubting that the charging masses will pour around her.

Oh, cursed flag that doth wrap around the face and blindeth player No. 69.

19. Jason Witten Mows Down Melissa Kellerman

Jason, when people say it'd be amazing to take out a cheerleader, they mean, like, on a date.

18. Spirit Banner Mishap 1

Spirit Banners can be dangerous.

You never know what kind of testosterone-fueled beast lurks on the other side, just waiting to charge.

17. Spirit Banner Mishap 2

See Kelly run in such a nonchalant manner/See Kelly stand behind the spirit banner

See the team charge with great spirit and panache/See Kelly get trampled, see her get squashed

16. Spirit Banner Mishap 3

This young lady is my hero.

She takes a stunning hit, crawls out from the debris and gets into formation with the rest of her squad.

15. Toronto Raptor Gal Gobbled Down

Indigestion to follow?

I think not. 

14. Utah Jazz Cheerleader in a Midair Collision

Controller 1: Tower 2, is the runway clear?

Controller 2: All clear.

Controller 1: You're cleared for take off, Jazz Girl.

Controller 2: Abort! Abort! Rogue craft incoming. I repeat ABORT!

(Sound Effects: KAPOW!)

13. Carl Landry Sends Laker Girl Flying into Table

Crushed by a giant.

Slammed into a table.

Just another day at work for a Lakers Girl.

12. High School Cheerleader Goes Ker-Splat!

How many of you can get up and walk away after doing a swan-dive-gone-belly-flop onto a hardwood floor?

11. Tennessee Titans Cheerleader Devoured by T-Rac

Anyone know how to land one of these mascot gigs?

10. New York Knicks Girl, Failed Flip

Back, meet floor.

Ouch!

9. Player Bulldozes Cheerleader

Is chivalry truly dead?

How can that receiver just walk away? After a hit like that?

Boo! I say, boo!

8. South Carolina Cheerleader Clobbered by Wide Receiver

Such a tremendous hit, such a positive attitude.

Proof, if there ever was, that cheerleaders have true grit.

7. Houston Rockets Power Girl Wolfed Down by Clutch

It's becoming an epidemic.

6. Cheerleader Gets a Face Full of Basketball

Thus begins the ball-to-face series of slides.

THUNK!

5. Spirited Miss Takes a Football to the Face

DOINK!

4. Euro-Beauty Takes a Soccer Ball to the Face

ACHTUNG!

3. Peppy Blonde Taken out by Errant Lacrosse Ball

And this one, luckily NOT a facial hit.

But, egad! Talk about taking one for the team!

And what a trooper, showing off her war wound with a smile and a shrug. 

2. High School Cheerleader Gets Kicked in the Face

I'm speechless.

And so will that girl be, once her jaw starts swelling up.

1. Gorgeous NC Gal Takes Huge Hit

I'm in love.

No, really.