Does every player get a Super Bowl ring?

Winning the Super Bowl is the ultimate achievement in the NFL. The Vince Lombardi Trophy is awarded to the Super Bowl champion, but every player on the winning team also receives a Super Bowl ring. So do coaches, staff members, and in some cases, team owners. But not every player who was on the roster gets one. Here are quick answers to some key questions about who gets a Super Bowl ring:

Does every player on the Super Bowl winning team get a ring? No, rings are often only given to players who were on the active roster for a certain number of games or at the time of the Super Bowl. Players on injured reserve or the practice squad may not qualify.

Do players who were traded mid-season get a ring? Usually, yes if they were on the active roster for enough games to meet the team’s requirements. But it’s ultimately up to each team to decide.

Do coaches and staff get rings? Yes, coaches, assistants, trainers, equipment managers and other staff who contributed to the season typically get rings.

Do practice squad players get rings? Often no, but sometimes teams vote to give them rings anyway.

Determining Who Gets a Ring

NFL teams have their own rules about ring eligibility. There is no league-wide policy. The requirements can vary from team to team and year to year. Most teams award rings based on a minimum number of games played during the season or being on the active roster at the time of the Super Bowl. Players who spent the season on injured reserve or the practice squad often do not qualify.

Over the years, some of the requirements to get a Super Bowl ring have included:

  • Being on the Week 1 roster
  • Being on the roster for at least 8 regular season or playoff games
  • Being on the roster at the time of the conference championship game
  • Being on the Super Bowl game roster

Teams have been known to make exceptions and vote to give rings to practice squad players or those who narrowly missed the requirements. But ultimately the decisions come down to ownership, coaches and the front office.

Example Ring Policies

Here are some examples of specific team policies on Super Bowl rings:

  • New England Patriots – Given to any player who spent at least 4 games on the active roster or injured reserve.
  • Denver Broncos – Must have been on the active roster for at least 8 games or played in 3 postseason games.
  • Green Bay Packers – Must have been on the roster for the entire season.
  • New York Giants – Given based on contributions and status for the Super Bowl game itself.

As you can see, each franchise handles it a bit differently. Some are more inclusive, while others require being on the team down the stretch. Either way, fringe players often get left out.

Practice Squad and Injured Reserve

Players on the practice squad or injured reserve are frequent victims of ring policies. As non-active roster members, they rarely meet game requirements. Practice squad players only practice with the team and do not play in games. Injured reserve players are inactive due to injuries or surgery.

Sometimes if a team votes unanimous approval, practice squad players get rings. NFL veteran Teddy Williams won two Super Bowl rings with the New Orleans Saints and Denver Broncos while only being on their practice squads. But stories like that are rare exceptions.

Costs and Design

NFL teams can spend $5,000 to $10,000 on each Super Bowl ring. With around 150 rings for players, coaches, staff and executives, the total rings bill comes to over $1 million. In recent years, the New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles spent over $5 million on Super Bowl rings. Teams want memorable, meaningful designs to commemorate the achievement.

The NFL covers up to $7,000 per ring for up to 150 rings for the winning team. But most championship ring budgets far exceed that. The league doesn’t cover rings for the losing team.

Ring sizes are customized for each recipient. They feature the Super Bowl logo and team name along with diamonds and other precious stones such as sapphires or rubies. Often a memorable slogan or the final score is engraved inside.

Most Expensive NFL Championship Rings

Here are some of the most extravagant Super Bowl rings and their reported costs:

Team Year Cost
Philadelphia Eagles 2018 $30,000 each
New England Patriots 2017 $36,500 each
Denver Broncos 2016 $35,000 each
Seattle Seahawks 2014 $35,000 each
Baltimore Ravens 2013 $32,500 each

Recent rings have featured around 500 diamonds or more. Championship ring extravagance is at an all-time high, with no signs of slowing down.

Players Not on the Winning Team

For players who spent the season with a team but were cut or traded before the Super Bowl victory, it can be disappointing to miss out on a ring. take running back LeGarrette Blount, who won rings with the Patriots in 2016 and Eagles in 2018. But he was on neither roster for those Super Bowls after being released mid-season.

Some players who leave will still get a small share of the playoff bonus pool money if they were on the roster long enough. But money is often not the main thing – earning the right to call yourself a champion is priceless.

In very rare cases, teams have been known to order Super Bowl rings for prominent former players as a gesture. This is usually for legendary players who spent their whole career with one team like Dan Marino of the Dolphins. But 99% of the time, players not there for the final game leave empty-handed.

Do the Losing Team Get Rings?

The Super Bowl losers do not receive rings. Making it to the championship game but losing is a painful experience. Some losing teams have ordered less extravagant rings on their own to commemorate the accomplishment, but not in recent years.

The NFL does cover the cost of AFC and NFC championship rings for teams that make and win the conference title game but lose the Super Bowl. But these are much smaller and less meaningful than Super Bowl rings.

Other Ring Traditions and Perks

Beyond the players, coaches and executives, rings are often gifted to team owners, the property owners, NFL officials, cheerleaders, mascots, and occasionally media members. Many ring designers will also make samples and replicas to give to family members and raffle for charity.

Players typically get lots of other Super Bowl swag too like shirts, hats and additional jewelry. They might get bonus vacations or even cars from luxury sponsors. Group championship trips to places like Disney World have also become popular.

Winning and losing the big game has major financial implications beyond rings. Super Bowl winners get larger playoff bonus shares from the league than the losing team. Each playoff game cheque becomes exponentially larger.

Super Bowl champions can also leverage the title into bigger contracts and more endorsement deals. Even practice squad players on a winner often parlay it into better careers down the road.

Ring Design Traditions

There are some common traditions that most teams follow for Super Bowl ring designs:

  • The Super Bowl logo and game date
  • The team name and location
  • Each player’s name and jersey number
  • Vince Lombardi trophy design
  • Diamonds in the team’s colors

Having an original, emotional ring motto engraved inside is also a must these days for big statement pieces. Teams work closely with jewellers like Jostens to create one-of-a-kind ring concepts fans will recognize.

Selling Rings

Players rarely sell their rings, viewing them as priceless mementos. But over the years, a few have put their rings up for auction after falling on hard times. Super Bowl I champion Willie Davis of the Packers sold his ring for over $60,000. Patriots star Russ Francis auctioned his XXXVI ring for $91,752.

In some cases, rings have been sold or lost following death or divorce. This leads to heated disputes over who has the legal rights to them. Teams have also been known to buy back rings at auctions to keep them in the organization.

The NFL has rules against teams selling large quantities of rings out of respect for the accomplishment. After the Redskins 1992 Super Bowl some players sold rings back to the team. As a result, no NFL team can now sell more than 10% of their rings.

Most Valuable Super Bowl Rings

Here are examples of the highest prices paid for a Super Bowl ring at auction:

  • Lawrence Taylor’s ring from 1990 Giants – $230,401
  • Joe Namath’s ring from 1969 Jets – $250,000
  • Tom Brady’s ring from 2014 Patriots – $344,927

As you can see, the rings of all-time greats like Taylor, Namath and Brady command the biggest prices. Interest is also high for iconic teams like the undefeated 1972 Dolphins. Condition, design, stones and historical significance all impact value.

Conclusion

In summary, not every player on a Super Bowl winning roster takes home a ring. The front office decides who is deserving based on games played, roster status and contributions. Practice squad members and players on IR often miss the cut.

The rings are insanely expensive, costing upwards of $30,000 apiece when all is said and done. Teams put great thought into flashy, memorable designs that reflect the road to that Lombardi trophy.

Losing the big game means leaving empty-handed. But the chance to play for a ring represents the highest achievement in pro football. The bonds forged between teammates striving for that one ultimate goal last a lifetime, regardless of who ends up with a ring.

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