In the NFL, few things hold as much emotional and symbolic value as a Super Bowl ring. For Robert Kraft, the longtime owner of the New England Patriots, his six championship rings are more than just jewelry. They represent the team’s hard-earned victories and a legacy built over decades.
Each ring from Super Bowls XXXVI, XXXVIII, XXXIX, XLIX, LI, and LIII is stored safely alongside his cufflinks, a private collection of treasured milestones. But the one from Super Bowl XXXIX in 2005 has been missing for years, and its disappearance is linked to an unusual international moment.
The Ring That Got Away
Kraft has always spoken about how much his championship rings mean to him. That missing ring, estimated to be worth around $25,000, became the subject of an unexpected and somewhat bizarre incident involving current Russian President Vladimir Putin. To this day, football fans continue to discuss the story with amusement and disbelief.
Speaking in the NFL Film Series, Kraft explained, “Anyone that has a privilege of having one understands why the ring is the thing. 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.“
How Did Robert Kraft’s Super Bowl Ring End Up In Russia?
In 2005, Kraft traveled to Saint Petersburg, Russia, as part of a business delegation working to strengthen ties between the U.S. and Russia. Among those in attendance was Sandy Weill, then-president of Citigroup. During a meeting at Konstantinovsky Palace, Weill suggested that Kraft show his Super Bowl XXXIX ring to President Putin as a conversation starter.
“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,” Kraft recalled the moment.
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In another version of the story, Kraft explained that after he showed the ring to Weill, his friend encouraged him to let the Russian leader see it. Putin seemed fascinated by the large, diamond-encrusted piece and kept it on his finger. According to reports, the ring eventually found a home in the Kremlin’s library, where it remains on display.
Why Kraft Couldn’t Get His Ring Back?
Shortly after the encounter, Kraft received a phone call from the White House. Officials from President George W. Bush’s administration strongly advised him to publicly say that he had gifted the ring to Putin as a token of respect and friendship. Not wanting to create an international dispute, Kraft complied, later issuing a statement:
“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.”
Though he agreed to the diplomatic request, Kraft later admitted that he wasn’t entirely happy about it. At an awards gala in New York, he joked, “I really didn’t [want to]; I had an emotional tie to the ring; it has my name on it. I don’t want to see it on eBay.”
Over the years, the story has been told in different ways, sometimes with slight variations. While Kraft’s representatives have brushed it off as a humorous anecdote, it’s clear that losing the ring still bothers him.
At Netflix’s The Roast of Tom Brady, Kraft made his feelings known once again, “In case Vladimir Putin you’re watching, give me my f*ing ring back, will ya?“
Even in 2017, he suggested he’d be willing to have a new ring made for Putin, engraved with the Russian president’s name, if it meant getting his original Super Bowl ring back. However, due to diplomatic tensions and the complexities of international relations, there has been no progress in reclaiming the lost piece of NFL history.
A Story That Lives On
The tale of Robert Kraft’s missing Super Bowl ring has been featured in books like The Dynasty by Jeff Benedict and has been covered by numerous media outlets since it first happened. What started as a casual exchange between world leaders has become a unique story that combines sports, business, and global politics.
For Kraft, the Super Bowl XXXIX ring remains a symbol of both his team’s victory and an unforgettable moment in his life, one that left him with an incredible story but without one of his most prized possessions.
