Former NFL Mascot Reveals 11 Surprising Rules He Had to Follow While in Costume (Exclusive)

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If there is one person who doubles as a football fan and almost subduring the spirit of fans on the NFL, it is undoubtedly mascot. The recognizable and larger character than life is responsible for bringing energy and hype into every game.

In an exclusive interview with People, former Dallas Cowboys Eric Aaberg Mascot shared his gaze on the iculin mask into what it needed to match as a mascot with boots, sports mascot, Rowdy.

Aaberg, who was born and grew up in Dallas before moving to Los Angeles, stepped into the cowboy costume when he was a 21-year-old student at the University of Texas, Dallas. For a 7-foot-high character (weighing “1 arling-ton”), he certainly had large shoes for filling.

But given his four years of experience as Temoc The Comet, the official mascot of the UT Dallas (whose name is literally the word “comet” written back), Aaberg says “stars just aligned” for the role. “They liked my energy,” he says. “They are like,” Great, come on board! “”

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Although not every franchise in 32 teams in the NFL is represented by a mascot, the one that certainly occurs. See Zip-Lining, Jaguar Jaxson de Villa from Jacksonville Jaguar or a record bird, for example, a bird of Freddie Freddie Falkon from Atlanta Falcon.

Better, draw attention to 7 feet high, 85-inch KC Vuk Kansas City Chiefs or Anthropomorphic Dorzalnje TD Miami Dolphin (which actually replaced the real, tank dolphin located in the end zone at home games from 1966 to 1968. ).

It is clear that each of the signs of foam -shaped are different from the others; However, all are united to similar intentions: entertaining fans, exhaust a team spirit and promote pride through the franchise they represent. Despite the comprehensive goal, not all NFL mascots are the same.

Read the 10 surprising rules that Aaberg had to follow as the official Dallas Cowboys mascot.

There is no traditional tryout procedure

Dallas Cowboys Mascot, Rowdy.

Cooper Neill/Getty

The mascot rehearsals are not like seeing in movies, at least not in the case of Aaberg when you go to the gig like Rowdy with the Dallas Cowboys. In fact, he was sought after the previous experience of a fax mascot with several clips of their work viral on social networks.

Then, Aaberg says there was an interview process. “I prepared excessively,” he recalls proudly. “I have a CV, I have all these ticters … You definitely have to have some kind of personal brand or portfolio,” he notes. “I went virally, I got millions of views.”

What probably sealed the agreement is his sympathy. “The girl was like,” I love your vibration, “he recalls that the interlocutor told him after landing on work during his older year of college. Reinforcement of confidence, in fact, even encouraged his thought to” make a mascot “after graduation ( Update: Not).

Then, Aaberg “overshadowed” Rowdy during an event at the AT&T stadium to learn the ropes while seeing the character in the action. He attributes that “a lot of experience” from “training as a fax mascot” to his success in securing the NFL gig.

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Mascots must meet certain physical requirements

When you embody the over -sided character of about eight feet high and can weigh between 12 and 20 pounds, it is understandable why physical requirements must be fulfilled for work.

“Rowdy’s suit was very difficult because he had a senior cowboy hat, so it was very difficult,” he says about the unpleasant distribution of weight in the costume. “I remember alive [thinking]’Oh my God, my head will go down. “” Aaberg remembers laughter.

“You may be more than 40 minutes in a suit without a break,” he explains, noting that practically “you can’t see anything in a suit, because literally your vision is, I want to say, 20 percent of what you normally can be seen.”

Aaberg concludes, “I would say you have to be athletic.”

Mascots must have high energy and personality

Dallas Cowboys Mascot, Rowdy, enters the big entrance during the game.

Wesley Hitt/Getty

Since the mascot is not only taken by energy, but requires a lot of personality to express themselves from another costume until it is removed. “Why would he beat my chest and show my rifles,” Aaberg says of his character Dallas Cowboys.

“I already have extra energy, so at first I thought it would be very difficult to keep quiet in a suit, but I don’t know, after a little you get into the autopilot,” he says. “You draw a lot of people. You are a celebrity and it’s a lot of fun. So, you definitely control the vibe in the room.”

Mascots need to know how to communicate with all people

Rowdy, the official Dallas Cowboys mascot, communicates with fans in the crowd.

Andrew Dieb/ICON SPORTSWIRE via Getty

As someone who, admittedly, has the “energy of the main characters”, interaction with fans and pumping the crowd was a breeze for Aaberg. However, reading the room when he did not fascinate the AT&T stadium (which could accommodate more than 100,000 people) was equally crucial.

“People are a little terrified of mascot. The kids either love or hate it, they are not really between them and you really just have to adapt to the audience,” he reports. Also you never know who to go!

“I met someone who was on the moon,” Aaberg remembers excitedly. “You meet many celebrities, you meet a lot of football players … I try not to choose favorites. I try to communicate with everyone more.”

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Mascots should not talk

Eric Aaberg with Dallas Cowboys Mascot, Rowdy.

Eric Aaberg

Each mascot has its own rules regarding whether they are allowed to communicate with fans sound; But for Rowdy, Aaberg says he wasn’t allowed to talk. “Not in a suit,” it’s clear.

What initially could seem scary for Aaberg – who lets know, “I a lot” – he assimilated, ultimately in love with “that magical aspect” about it. He compared him to the characters in Disney World, noting that he could “write messages with Sharpie”.

When he was alone with fans or cowboy staff, Aaberg said “sometimes” to talk to themselves. “That’s completely fine,” he says, although he jokingly shares that “everyone is always shocked” when he removed his head.

“They are like, ‘Who, you’re sweaty! “And I’m like,” Yes, I’m putting a job! “” Aaberg laughs.

Mascots must be able to learn choreography

In addition to having energy and personality, certain mascots require certain steps during the game to match the team fans or fight the routine of songs.

“Some dances are also very agile intense,” Aaberg is known. “Learning of dances and choreoa[graphy] He was a big part of the job if you were doing a simple ticter, “he adds.” So, really, again, just be agile. ”

Mascots must remain in shape during the season

Dallas Cowboys Mascot Rowdy flees from the tunnel before the game.

Wesley Hitt/Getty

Wearing heavy costumes, running around the field, performing dance routines – or even, catching football with one hand – physically fit is undoubtedly necessary for Rowdy, despite not having to do turns and tricks as they do in movies.

“I would say that I literally worked maybe five times a week during that season, and I would still be so creepy dead,” Aberg says of his one -year stay as a Dallas Cowboys mascot. “It really stresses you and can definitely be an exercise.”

Add the warmth of warmer months in combination with the temperature in the costume, the “hydration” is key. “I only had one time when I was almost dreamed. It was from a fax mascot,” he says, noting that the suit “would add about 30 degrees” to the outer pace.

“So, if it is 90 degrees in the stadium, it will be 120 degrees … Definitely sweat,” he knows. “You have to build endurance, agility and really be able to perform performance,” he says. “You always move.”

Not every mascot secret kept in secret

Rowdy of the Dallas Cowboy.

John Jones

Each mascot, NFL or Collegiate has its own tradition when it comes to keeping identity under the mask a secret. “Definitely the moment of Hannah Montana,” says Aaberg, comparing her concealed gig with the best character from both world Miley Cyrus Cyrus, who lived on the hit series Disney Channel.

For his duty mascot in college, Aaberg is joking that he has gone into the secret of “FBI agent” in an attempt not to be exposed to his identity.

“I had to be secret,” he says. “I would set my phone location elsewhere. I would separate Instagram stories if I were out of campus while I was about to mask and go to perform.”

For comparison, holding Rowdy’s identity secret was a little different “because people see it as a job,” he says. “It was public on Linkedin and I had a lot of friends on LinkedIn, and so when it was,” Eric started a new role of mascot at the Dallas Cowboys Football Club, “Everyone is like, what!”

Aaberg jokes, “I guess LinkedIdin exposes me.”

Mascots must be beyond the terrain

Eric Aaberg and Dallas Cowboys Mascot Rowdy walk side by side.

Corey Wernecke

Mascots have several performances that they can make outside the football games.

“We had a mascot at football games. Many corporate events. I want to say that Rowdy is probably 150 events throughout the year that are only corporate sponsored events,” Aaberg explains. “And I made an advertisement … Some roster videos I saw going to the NFL channel.”

Even on the games, Rowdy wanders the stadium to meet and greet the fans. “You are there for hours before you go through the routines … You show your face, communicate with crowds, give signatures,” says Aaberg, remembering a turning point that is the “basic memory” of his career to this day.

“My first time I was Rowdy, someone engaged in front of me! They were like, ‘Rowdy, can you help me with this? “” He remembers asked him at the time. “I go down to my knee with that guy, then suggested to my girlfriend! They are both fans of the cowboy … at Cowboys Stadium.”

Mascots are allowed to have other jobs

Rowdy of the Dallas Cowboy.

Cooper Neill/Getty

Although each team has its own rules, Aaberg says his role of Rowdy was a part -time job. “You pay you about $ 10 an hour – and then if it’s a game day, you’ll get $ 200 at the top,” he is approximate when he has a job.

Aaberg adds: “I also did a full -time job, so I did college, full -time job and Rowdy.”

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Source: HIS Education