for the New York Times: The $25,000 Rookie Dinner Has N.F.L. Players Divided by José A. Alvarado Jr.

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for the New York Times: The $25,000 Rookie Dinner Has N.F.L. Players Divided

josé a. alvarado jr.

Oct 7, 2022

Location: Jersey City

Summary

Young athletes are expected to treat their veteran teammates to an exorbitant meal. Is it a form of team bonding — or hazing by another name?

A bottle of Screaming Eagle cabernet sauvignon: $3,495. Nineteen shots of Rémy Martin Louis XIII Cognac: $4,525. Rib-eye steaks, seafood platters, bottles of Voss water: $1,014.Total bill: $17,748. With tip, more than $20,000.For many diners, that would seem an outlandish amount to spend on a meal, even for a large group. For athletes in the National Football League, it’s a decades-old ritual known as the rookie dinner — an exorbitant meal that new players are expected to finance for their teammates.

Photographed for The New York Times, with words by Priya Krishna.

The $25,000 Rookie Dinner Has N.F.L. Players Divided
Young athletes are expected to treat their veteran teammates to an exorbitant meal. Is it a form of team bonding — or hazing by another name?
Nytimes.com

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José A. Alvarado Jr.

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