Photos of Miss America, Roger Staubach mark birthdays at Taste of the NFL

Photos of Miss America, Roger Staubach mark birthdays at Taste of the NFL

Tom Donoghue/Picture Group

By Robin Leach (contact)

Sunday, Feb. 6, 2011 | 4:49 a.m.

Birthday Cakes for Miss America and Roger Staubach

It was a double-birthday celebration at the Taste of the NFL chef and players dinner last night in Dallas. Organizers asked 17-year-old Miss America Teresa Scanlan to help present a surprise birthday cake to football legend Roger Staubach celebrating his 69th birthday.

Roger didn’t know he was getting a cake because he thought he was presenting a surprise birthday cake to Teresa! The Gering, Neb., native turns 18 today and will be on the 50-yard line for the Super Bowl XLV showdown between the Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers at Cowboys Stadium.

Country star Martina McBride, who entertained at the dinner attended by 3,500 contributors, arrived early to congratulate Teresa. More than $1 million was raised by Taste of the NFL to be donated to food banks across America.

Teresa posed with all 32 NFL city chefs and players, plus founder athletes and culinary contributors. Teresa said: “This has been the most exciting highlight so far since becoming Miss America -- but also in my life. I’m enjoying it all.”

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.