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The Washington Commanders' cheerleading squad has paid tribute to one of their top dancers after an 'amazing five seasons' with the franchise.
Command Force captain Jessie Casey, who spent the 2020-24 seasons with the team, announced on Instagram back in May that she would leaving the Commanders.
And on Friday, the Command Force gave her a fitting send-off on social media as they thanked her for her contributions to the team and shared several photos from her time with the squad.
The post also included a heartfelt statement from Casey - who represented the team at this year's Pro Bowl in Orlando - as she reflected on 'the most beautiful chapter of my life.
'It's hard to believe that after five amazing seasons, my journey as a Washington Commanders cheerleader has come to a close,' she wrote in the statement posted by her and the Command Force. 'This team has been so much more than just a place to dance. It's been a home, a place of growth and the most beautiful chapter of my life.
'Being part of this team has shaped me into the woman I am today. It pushed me, inspired me, and surrounded me with people who accepted and loved me exactly as I am. The word 'family' gets used a lot, but this team truly embodies what it means to be a chosen family.
Jessie Casey spent five years cheering for the Commanders during the 2020-24 seasons
Casey called her time with the Commanders the 'most beautiful chapter of my life'
Casey continued: 'To my teammates - evert single one of you has inspired me in more ways than you know. Thank you for showing up day in and day out, even when it's not easy. Thank you for truly and authentically accepting me for who I am. My only wish leaving this team is that I have made you all feel accepted loved, and inspired in one way or another - just as you have all done for me.
'To [cheer coaches] Jade, Christie and Ashley - I will never be able to thank you enough for the opportunities you have given me. Thank you for seeing something in me before I saw it in myself. Your belief in me changed my life, and your leadership has left an imprint on my heart forever.
'To my husband and family - thank you for being there every step of the way, cheering me on from the sidelines and lifting me up when I needed it most.
'I've had the honor of dancing for thousands of fans, witnessing NFL history first hand, experiencing countless photo shoots, dancing in the Pro Bowl, and traveling across the globe. But it's the intangibles that will stick with me the most. The confidence instilled in me, the grit and determination I didn't know I had, and the friendships that started as a joke during practice and ended as lifelong sisters standing by my side on my wedding day.
'I will never be able to put into words how much this team means to me. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for the best five years of my life. I'll cherish them always. Family on 3.'
Without Casey on the sidelines, the Commanders will begin their season on September 7 against the Giants.
