Super Bowl ring

• 1. Design And Manufacturing

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  The Super Bowl ring is an award in the National Football League given to the team members of the winning team. These rings are typically made of yellow or rose gold with diamonds. They usually include the team name, team logo, and the phrase World Champions. The Super Bowl number appears in Roman numerals on each piece. Many rings feature diamonds shaped like the Vince Lombardi Trophy or a football. This design illustrates how many times the franchise has won. The NFL contributes approximately $5,000-$7,000 per ring for up to 150 rings for the winning team. Any additional costs are borne by the team itself. Most rings are manufactured by memorabilia company Jostens. The rings are normally presented in an elegant box or display case. The Green Bay Packers' Super Bowl XLV ring contained more than 100 diamonds. The Packers logo in the center was made up of 13 diamonds. Each diamond represented one championship title dating back to 1929. The New England Patriots Super Bowl XLIX rings reportedly cost $36,500 each. That price made them the most expensive rings Jostens had ever produced at that time. Later rings for Super Bowl 50 and Super Bowl LI surpassed that figure. The Philadelphia Eagles' ring for Super Bowl LII contains 127 diamonds on the bezel. These numbers corresponded to the jersey numbers of three players who handled the ball during the Philly Special trick play. Corey Clement wore number 30 while Trey Burton wore 88. Nick Foles wore number 9 when he threw the game-winning touchdown pass.

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• 2. Distribution And Hierarchy

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  The winning team can typically present any number of rings to whomever they choose. Rings go to players on active rosters, inactive rosters, or injured reserve lists. Coaches, trainers, executives, and general club staff also receive awards. Some teams have given rings to former players and coaches from earlier seasons. A recent trend over the past 15, 20 years has been to award lesser-valued rings to non-player and front office staff. These are often referred to as B and C level rings. The rings given to players are considered A level rings. The B and C rings are typically smaller and contain fewer diamonds or imitation diamonds. The first instance of this was the Redskins Super Bowl XVII ring. Many in the front office received rings that were not solid gold. They contained cubic zirconia stones which resemble diamonds. When Tampa Bay won Super Bowl XXXVII, the players and coaches received A rings with a diamond-centered Lombardi trophy. Some staff received rings with a metal Lombardi trophy substituted for real diamonds. The C level ring did not contain any diamonds at all. Per the CBA, players on the practice squad at the time of victory are entitled to a ring. It can be one of lesser value than the standard player version.

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• 3. Notable Records And Owners

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  Tom Brady holds seven Super Bowl rings as quarterback. Six came with the New England Patriots while one came with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Bill Belichick earned six rings as head coach of the New England Patriots. He also won two as defensive coordinator of the New York Giants. Charles Haley won five rings as a player. Two came as a linebacker with the San Francisco 49ers. Three came as a defensive end with the Dallas Cowboys. This makes him currently second-most as a player after Tom Brady. Edward J. DeBartolo Jr. owned five rings as owner of the San Francisco 49ers. Willie Davis won all four rings with Green Bay Packers. Two were as a player while one was as a member of the team board. Another came as an emeritus director. He is the only person to possess all four of Green Bay's Super Bowl rings. Davis also won rings from 1961, 1962 and 1965 NFL Championship teams. These awards predate the creation of the Super Bowl. His total championship count reaches seven. Marv Fleming became the first player to win four Super Bowl rings. He got pairs with Green Bay in 1966 and 1967. He added another pair with Miami Dolphins in 1972 and 1973. Twenty-two players earned four rings with Pittsburgh Steelers during the 1970s. Names include Terry Bradshaw, Franco Harris, Lynn Swann, John Stallworth, Mel Blount, Jack Lambert, Jack Ham, Mike Webster, Donnie Shell, L.C. Greenwood, Rocky Bleier, Gerry Mullins, Larry Brown, Mike Wagner, J.T. Thomas, Loren Toews, Jon Kolb, Sam Davis, Steve Furness, Dwight White, Randy Grossman, and Joe Greene.

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• 4. Commercial Value And Collectibility

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  Replicas of the rings for various years are popular collectibles alongside genuine rings. Dave Meggett placed his ring for sale on eBay. Two Super Bowl rings from the 1970s Steelers sold on eBay for over $69,000 apiece in mid-2008. Patriots safety Je'Rod Cherry raffled his ring from Super Bowl XXXVI in November 2008. The proceeds benefited several charities working to help children in Africa and Asia. Tight end Shannon Sharpe gave his first Super Bowl ring to his brother Sterling. Sterling's career had been cut short by injury. The resale market treats these items as high-value memorabilia. Genuine rings command significant prices depending on provenance and condition. Replicas remain accessible to fans who cannot afford original pieces. The NFL does not regulate private sales of these awards once they leave team possession. Owners may sell or gift them without league oversight. This freedom has created a secondary market where values fluctuate based on player fame and historical significance.

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• 5. Historical Incidents And Controversies

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  In 2005, a minor international incident occurred when it was reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin took a Super Bowl ring from New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft. Kraft quickly issued a statement saying he had given Putin the ring out of respect and admiration. He cited Putin's leadership and the Russian people as reasons for the gesture. Kraft later said his earlier statement was not true. He claimed it had been issued under pressure from the White House. The ring is now on display at the Kremlin alongside other gifts. Spokesmen for Putin denied he stole Kraft's ring. The story remains a point of contention between American football history and diplomatic relations. Another notable event involved the Denver Broncos after winning Super Bowl 50. Their rings were handed out in large ornate boxes. These cases included a decorative padlock and a commemorative game ball. Such presentation choices reflect how teams elevate the ceremony beyond simple distribution. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers ring for their Super Bowl LV victory contained 319 diamonds on the face. That number symbolized their 31, 9 victory over Kansas City. It was also the first to have a removable top. When opened, the top reveals a hand-carved replica of Raymond James Stadium. This stadium hosted their win as the first team to claim a title on home soil.

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