NFL teams
Tim McManus, ESPN Staff Writer 4y

Eagles cheerleader Kyle Tanguay advances on 'American Idol'

NFL, Philadelphia Eagles

Philadelphia Eagles cheerleader Kyle Tanguay received a "golden ticket" Sunday night to advance to the next round of "American Idol" in Hollywood.

Tanguay, the first male cheerleader for the organization in 35 years, was accompanied by the rest of the cheerleading squad to Washington, D.C., where he performed "Mercy" by Shawn Mendes in front of judges Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan.

The 21-year-old Tanguay impressed on stage despite never having taken private vocal lessons.

"Truly, words can't even describe what it felt like to receive the approval of all three judges and be given the golden ticket. I was jumping all around and I remember running up to the judges to thank them. It just meant the world to me that they saw my potential," he told the Eagles website. "In a way, it was a similar feeling to making the Eagles Cheerleaders last year, that feeling of satisfaction that comes after achieving something so monumental. It was just amazing, and I couldn't stop smiling."

Tanguay, believed to be one of four male cheerleaders in the NFL, just completed his first season with the Eagles. The Rochester, New Hampshire, native is pursuing a degree at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia.

The next episode of "American Idol" will air Sunday on ABC.

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