Cowboys' Check Runs over $54,000 at Rookie Team Dinner

When a large group of large professional athletes who earn large salaries gets together for a meal, one can guess what adjective will describe the check.

On Wednesday, Scout.com's Mike Fisher offered a look at the rookie dinner the Dallas Cowboys held during their bye week. The final damage: $54,494.59.

They better have left a decent tip.

Six years ago, the Cowboys left rookie Dez Bryant to foot a similar bill. Now a team veteran, the wide receiver insisted there was no such hazing Monday night.

"Nope, because as far as I know, lots of the guys just paid for themselves," Bryant said. "Nobody getting punished. Everybody together."

Safety Barry Church, on the other hand, said the newcomers paid for the veterans at Nick and Sam's steakhouse.

"Yeah, the whole team was there, and it was amazing," Church said. "The rookies took care of everything. We had an amazing time."

Building team camaraderie is great, but less so if neophytes playing on smaller salaries are forced to pay extravagant sums for food and drinks.

[Scout.com]