Dallas Cowboys cheerleader lifts the lid on the unglamorous side of being part of the NFL's most iconic group

Dallas Cowboys cheerleader Marissa Phillips has given fans the inside scoop on the squad's hectic run into the holidays. 

The NFL has become a staple of Thanksgiving in America with the Cowboys suiting up on the holiday every year since 1966 and this year was no different with Dallas defeating the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday. 

And as the players postponed their Thanksgiving dinner to take to the field so did the franchise's cheerleaders. 

However, Phillips has revealed the squad's preparations start long before the festive matchup and aren't about to end anytime soon with Christmas just around the corner. 

'We've been so busy, and now we're about to get into our really, really busy season,' the veteran cheerleader told People. 

'It's just really sweet, because a lot of people will bring their kids and their families and get all dressed up and get hot cocoa. That sort of thing,' she adding, referring to the team's 30-minute shows, which are hosted at the Dallas Cowboys' headquarters, The Star. 

The 25-year-old explained that each show is short and sweet but the cheerleaders still ensure to pull out all the stops for fans, including festive lighting, three costume changes, and, of course, some of their most iconic routines such as Thunderstruck. 

'If we have a game on Sunday or a game on Thursday for Thanksgiving, that can be really busy. We just have to be really prepared and make sure we know all of our parts,' she added. 

'It's a very, very tiring show and a lot of compartmentalization. But you just get into your muscle memory and turn your brain on a little bit and it's really fun.' 

Phillips, who is an accountant by day, insisted that she and her fellow dancers have to ensure that they stay on top of their meal prep and rest to ensure that they stay at their best throughout the jam-packed period. 

She even revealed that sometimes the cheerleaders won't know when their next guaranteed day off is, meaning they have to turn down plans with family and friends and that it makes scheduling appointments throughout November and December practically impossible.