Chris Christie, Jerry Jones

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, left, talks with Dallas Cowboys team owner Jerry Jones, right, on the field as the teams warm up before an NFL football game against the Indianapolis Colts, Sunday, Dec. 21, 2014, in Arlington, Texas.

(Brandon Wade/AP)

TRENTON — Gov. Chris Christie's trip to an NFL game to root for the Dallas Cowboys was paid for by the team's owner, Jerry Jones, according to the governor's office.

Images of Christie celebrating with Jones Sunday evening following the Cowboys' latest win created a stir among sports fans on social media. Christie has now attended three games at the invitation of Jones, who invited the governor and picked up the tab, said Christie spokesman Kevin Roberts.

“Governor Christie attended the game last night as a guest of Jerry Jones, who provided both the ticket and transportation at no expense to New Jersey taxpayers,” Roberts said.

Christie, his wife and their four children attended the game.

Jones paid for Christie and his family to attend the games, including footing the bill for the private jet that shuttled the Christies to Sunday night’s game, Roberts said.

As is always the case, New Jersey taxpayers paid for the governor's security detail provided by the New Jersey State Police.

Jones also invited Christie to a Cowboys game in Dallas on Dec. 21. However, Jones didn't pay for the air travel since Christie and his family were already traveling in Texas. The game came a week after New Jersey's governor was ripped for rooting for the Cowboys in their win over the Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.

The governor's office cited The Code of Conduct for the Governor, adopted under former Gov. Jim McGreevey, in Executive Order 77, which says the governor “may accept gifts, favors, services, gratuities, meals, lodging or travel expenses from relatives or personal friends that are paid for with personal funds.”

The latest trip to Dallas to root for the Cowboys in Jones' box didn't just grab the attention of Cowboys' fans and enemies, it drew the ire of a Washington-D.C. based super PAC with ties to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. American Bridge, a pro-Democratic group that conducts opposition research on Republicans, filed a record request today inquiring about the cost of the trip.

Roberts did not know how much going to the games cost Jones.

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Matt Arco may be reached at marco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MatthewArco. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.