Did Vladimir Putin Steal Robert Kraft’s Super Bowl Ring? Here’s the Story
The story of how New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft’s Super Bowl ring ended up with Vladimir Putin has been around for almost twenty years. It’s come up in interviews, reports, and fact-checks, yet no one seems completely sure what actually took place during that meeting in Moscow.
Here’s what we know so far.
A Meeting That Sparked a Mystery
In 2005, New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft was on a business trip to Russia with Citigroup executive Sandy Weill. The Patriots had just won their third Super Bowl, and Kraft carried his new $25,000 championship ring with him.
During a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Weill encouraged Kraft to show off the ring. Kraft handed it over, expecting a quick look and maybe a compliment. Instead, Putin slipped it on, reportedly admired it, and remarked, “I can kill someone with this ring.”
Kraft extended his hand, waiting for it back, but that moment never came. Putin pocketed the ring as three security officers surrounded him and escorted him away.
When The Ring Became a Diplomatic “Gift”
Soon after, Kraft called the White House. He wasn’t amused. Reports suggest he wanted the ring returned, but officials had other concerns. To avoid souring relations with Russia, they advised him to say it was a gift.
So, in an official statement, Kraft said he had given the ring “as a symbol of respect and admiration for the Russian people and their leadership.” His statement calmed the waters, but the unease remained. Behind closed doors, Kraft wasn’t convinced the ring’s disappearance was a misunderstanding.
In 2013, the story resurfaced when Kraft openly told a crowd at an event in New York that Putin had taken the ring without permission. The Russian president denied the accusation through his spokesperson, who claimed Putin had simply accepted it as a gift.
The spokesperson even offered to replace it, though Kraft’s team later called the story “humorous” and lighthearted. Still, the Patriots’ owner’s tone over the years has hinted that he’d prefer to have his prized jewelry back.
The Legend That Refused To Fade
Image via Wikimedia Commons/Office of the Governor of Massachusetts
The ring’s fate might have faded into trivia if it weren’t for Kraft’s sense of humor. In 2024, during Netflix’s “The Roast of Tom Brady,” he reignited the buzz by calling out Putin directly. “In case you’re watching,” he said, “give me my ring back.” The audience laughed, but the quip had a sting of truth. After nearly two decades, the ring’s status as Kremlin property still fascinates sports fans and political observers alike.
Adding to the renewed interest, Apple TV’s The Dynasty: New England Patriots revisited the incident and gave younger fans a glimpse of one of the strangest chapters in NFL history.
No one can say for certain what Putin’s intentions were that day. The Kremlin insists the ring was a gift, and Kraft still insists it wasn’t. What’s clear is that somewhere inside Russia’s grand halls, a Super Bowl XXXIX ring is placed among official treasures.