This Sunday, more than 100 million football fans will be tuning in to watch Super Bowl LVI. We’ll root for either the Cincinnati Bengals or the Los Angeles Rams as the teams battle for the NFL's Vince Lombardi Trophy and go after the honor of being called “World Champions.”
Shortly after the big game, you’ll see star players reap the benefits of a championship season with instant notoriety, multi-million-dollar endorsement deals, boosted salaries, auto dealership spokesman gigs, and so on. Among the many accolades that come with the championship title, one seems to glimmer brighter than the rest.
We're talking about the Super Bowl ring, of course!
For each Super Bowl, the ring is entirely unique, with the trend calling for bolder and brighter designs each year. The precious metals and stones come together to represent much more than a “blinged-out” piece of jewelry. The one-of-a-kind ring embodies the memories gained through a season of hard work, sacrifice and team effort.
For many athletes, the ring symbolizes the culmination of the highs and lows experienced throughout the championship season, or even throughout an entire career. From the painful bumps, bruises and injuries endured week after week, to the final moment when the confetti drops from the sky and the title trophy is lifted in the air.
These are all special memories the players treasure; and what better way to signify those moments than with a piece of jewelry. Take a look at Super Bowl rings from over the years.
Super Bowl Rings Over the Years
Kansas City Chiefs: Super Bowl LIV
Photo Credit: Jostens
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Super Bowl LV
Photo Credit: Buccaneers
Super Bowl Ring Facts:
- The NFL awards the championship team the first 150 rings and pays roughly $5,000 for each ring to be made. It is up to the team owner to cover the difference if the ring costs more to make.
- For many decades, Super Bowl rings were primarily made from gold and diamonds. However, the 2010 Green Bay Packers were the first team to have a ring set in platinum.
- The team owner is also responsible for the costs if extra rings are needed to be distributed throughout the organization.
- The NFL requires every Super Bowl ring design to include the Super Bowl logo. The remaining design elements are chosen by the winning team and its owner.
- Most designs include the team name and logo, game score and season record. Rings are also customized for each player with their name and number.
- Oftentimes, the number of Super Bowl titles is indicated on the ring by how many large diamonds are on the face.
- Some rings can bring over $50,000 on the resale market. The value depends on who wore the ring and the popularity of the Super Bowl game.
- According to Jostens, it takes about four months to design, create and distribute the Super Bowl rings.
- The Packers’ Super Bowl I ring contained a single, one half carat diamond. Since then, designs like the Patriots’ Super Bowl XXXIX ring boasted 124 diamonds and weighed over a quarter pound.
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Even Super Bowl rings can chip! Justin Coleman of the New England Patriots gave his teammate a fist bump, while both were wearing their rings for the first time. Later that evening, he noticed a few of his diamonds were chipped.
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The largest ring ever made was a size 23 for the Chicago Bears’ William (Refrigerator) Perry. The average male finger is between a 10 and 12. See what ring size you are with our downloadable Ring Sizer!
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The national jewelry maker Jostens has made majority of the Super Bowl rings to date, however, other designers include Tiffany & Co. and Balfour.
Check out all 53 Super Bowl rings and a story behind each one. Which one is your favorite?