All Your Questions About Super Bowl Rings Answered—Including Who Pays for Them

Ahead of Super Bowl LX, learn a bit about the rings the winning team receives.
Patrick Mahomes showing off his Super Bowl rings
Patrick Mahomes showing off his Super Bowl rings | Handout/GettyImages

It's a big deal to win the Super Bowl. The team that ends up victorious takes home the Vince Lombardi Trophy, created new every year by Tiffany & Co.

While the trophy stays with the team, players and other football personnel receive rings to recognize their contribution to winning the most important trophy in football. But these rings aren't just basic pieces of jewelry or made for just anyone. So what makes Super Bowl rings so special?

  1. Who Gets a Super Bowl Ring?
  2. Who Pays for the Rings?
  3. How Long Does It Take to Make a Super Bowl Ring?
  4. Who Designs the Rings?
  5. What About Super Bowl Losers?

Who Gets a Super Bowl Ring?

Kansas City Chiefs Geha Stadium with Super Bowl ring display
Kansas City Chiefs Geha Stadium with Super Bowl ring display | UCG/GettyImages

Typically, players, coaches, and other football personnel get a Super Bowl ring, but team owners can make the final decision of who else receives one. Rings can go to practice squad members, sales and marketing personnel, and even cheerleaders and janitors based on the team owner's discretion.

Who Pays for the Rings?

Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl ring replica
Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl ring replica | Icon Sportswire/GettyImages

The NFL gives teams an allowance to help cover the cost of Super Bowl rings, with around $5,000 to $7,000 coming from the league to pay for 150 rings. But that doesn't cover the full cost of the rings, with some reaching up to $50,000 each, depending on the design. Then, multiply that by the number of rings the team owners decide to award.

That extra cost comes out of the pocket of the team owners, with a final bill estimated to be around $5 million. Some teams spend even more than that for their perfect ring. I guess it's a small price to pay when you're a Super Bowl champion.

How Long Does It Take to Make a Super Bowl Ring?

Allen Aldridge Super Bowl ring
Allen Aldridge Super Bowl ring | Houston Chronicle/Hearst Newspapers/GettyImages

Super Bowl winners don't get their rings the day they win the championship game—instead, they usually have to wait several months before finally receiving them. It takes around four months to design and create all of the rings, with each one personalized for the person. Players, for example, will get their names and jersey numbers on their rings as part of the unique design.

Who Designs the Rings?

Tom Brady's Patriots Hall of Fame induction wearing his Super Bowl ring
Tom Brady's Patriots Hall of Fame induction wearing his Super Bowl ring | Boston Globe/GettyImages

Rings are designed by jewelers hired by the teams, and the teams have an important role in determining the design and other features.

When the Philadelphia Eagles won the Super Bowl in 2018, Eagles Chairman and CEO Jeffrey Lurie explained that he talked to players about some of the things they would want for their rings and then had to make additional decisions with jewelry company Jostens on the final design.

"It was such a detailed process, from every bit of wording that was on the ring to the placement of the diamonds, to the shape, the size," Lurie said about the final design.

What About Super Bowl Losers?

The losing Super Bowl team will get rings at the end of the season, but it's not the Super Bowl rings, of course. Rather, rings are awarded to honor players and personnel for winning their conference, either the AFC or NFC, to get to the Super Bowl.

Similar to Super Bowl rings, the conference rings are designed for each team and personalized with a player's name and jersey number. But unlike Super Bowl rings, conference championship rings can bring mixed feelings for players as they recognize their achievement but also are reminded of what could've been if they had won that final game.


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