Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders veteran Kleine Powell heard the entire conversation about the response he received from the DCC director Kelli Finglass – but he thinks some fans are missing the point.
“We have that mother-daughter relationship that I think a lot of people forget about,” Powell, 26, said to himself. Us Weekly on Tuesday, June 23. “I've seen a lot of comments from people saying, 'You deserve better,' and all these things.
During season 3 of Netflix America's Sweethearts: The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaderswhich premiered on June 16, Powell and Finglass, 61, share some tough-love moments, including a discussion about why Powell's teammates don't see him as a first-team leader.
Instead of focusing on how other team members view him, Powell urged viewers to remember when Finglass said he “sees a lot of me.”
“From day one, Kelli Finglass was the one I wanted on this team more than anyone else,” continued Powell. “He's always been in my corner. He's the one I call when I have a problem. Or usually, he's the one who calls me at 11 at night and we have long conversations about the day, about what happened at practice, or just telling me about life. We really have that relationship that I think is very special.”
Powell argued that some of the drama on the show had led to speculation about her relationship with Finglass to be “confused.”
Kleine Powell
Courtesy of Netflix“They have their thoughts in the back of their minds, but Kelli and I are ride-or-die riders,” Powell said. “We have a lot of fun together, we laugh together, we joke around. I might be in the wrong place at the wrong time a lot of times, but I would like it to be me who catches his little nuances so that we can have a conversation about it later with a singer or someone new to the group.”
Finglass echoed everything Powell said in an exclusive interview with us, saying he “loves” the long-time DCC member. Powell has decided to retire from the team following the 2025-26 season.
Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders director Kelli Finglass has revealed where her relationship stands with fellow cheerleader Shelly Bramhall after she cut Shelly's daughter, Dayton, for the third time in a row. “We're still standing,” Finglass, 61, told Us Weekly exclusively on Tuesday, June 23. “Shelly is still reporting to work and giving so much. […]
“Kleine and I have an unusual relationship is how I would describe it,” the DCC director explained. “He's funny, and sometimes I'm funny. He's just a good example of someone who I never give an answer to. If I see something, I'll say something. Maybe because I know he can.”
Finglass praised the show for capturing their “real moments”, however awkward or uncomfortable they may be for some viewers.
“I'm having fun with Klein,” she said. “I don't get along with a lot of hitters, but he's one. I think our relationship is misunderstood that way. I'm not picking on Kleine, I love Kleine. He keeps things fun.”
America's Sweethearts: The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders is available to stream now.
