Russian president Vladimir Putin owns a Super Bowl ring that previously belonged to the owner of the New England Patriots after the warmonger got his way
Claiming a Super Bowl ring ranks among the most exclusive accomplishments in American sport.
Yet it appears taking one by force is entirely acceptable assuming you happen to be the President of Russia and have the audacity to try your luck with the rightful owner. Vladimir Putin demonstrated precisely that when he pocketed one of Robert Kraft’s six championship rings during a chance meeting in 2005.
The New England Patriots owner, worth roughly £10billion, was in St Petersburg when a colleague encouraged him to show one of his most treasured possessions to the Russian leader. The situation rapidly deteriorated as Putin kept the ring, shielded by his government security detail.
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Kraft, 84, had no option but to accept the act and later recounted the bizarre incident during a later interview with NFL Films. “Anyone that has a privilege of having one understands why the ring is the thing,” he said while describing the incident. “I keep them in a drawer where I have my cufflinks.
“They’re all in a drawer except for my third one. The original is in Russia with the president of the country. I happened to be there on a business mission with my friend, Sandy Weil.
“We had just given out our rings. I showed [business associate] Sandy [Weil] my ring and he said, ‘Why don’t you show it to the president?’ I showed it to him and he put it on. He sort of enjoyed it so he kept it on.”
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But rather than take a quick glance before returning such a treasured item, Putin simply seized it in full view. However, not before delivering a spine-chilling message.
Speaking in 2013, Kraft revealed: “I took out the ring and showed it to him, and he put it on and he goes, ‘I can kill someone with this ring’. I put my hand out and he put it in his pocket, and three KGB guys got around him and walked out.”
Members of George Bush’s White House administration reportedly urged Kraft not to speak publicly about the incident or attempt to recover the piece of jewellery. With US-Russian relations under a lot of pressure, Kraft complied and issued a statement on the matter, claiming he handed over the ring willingly as a gesture of respect.
The amended statement read: “I decided to give him the ring as a symbol of the respect and admiration that I have for the Russian people and the leadership of President Putin.”
Any Super Bowl ring holds far greater value than the material worth of the jewel-encrusted ornament itself. It symbolises the peak of numerous elements converging throughout a single season to mark an accomplishment that only a tiny fraction of American football players will ever experience.
On the bright side, Kraft is at least blessed with five others at home to admire whenever he chooses. Nevertheless, that one missing piece of memorabilia sitting somewhere in Moscow will surely always leave its mark.