UITableView: changing footer view's size programmatically doesn't work

myTable.tableFooterView = myFooterView; 

Re-assign your footer view to the table. The table will recognize it has a new footer and re-do whatever layout needs to occur for the proper size of the footer.

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/6672528/uitableview-changing-footer-views-size-programmatically-doesnt-work

Why do headers and footers follow movement of row when deleting it?

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/29942070/why-do-headers-and-footers-follow-movement-of-row-when-deleting-it

Simply return headerCell.contentView instead of headerCell and your problem will be resolved.