Robert Kraft, the billionaire owner of the New England Patriots, recently made a startling revelation about his long-lost Super Bowl ring. The ring, which was originally his, has been in the possession of Russian President Vladimir Putin since 2005. While Kraft has led the Patriots to six Super Bowl victories, he only has five championship rings in his possession. The sixth, a prized symbol of his team’s success, was taken under bizarre circumstances during a business trip to Russia.
The unbelievable exchange between Kraft and Putin
Kraft, who took ownership of the New England Patriots in 1994, transformed the struggling franchise into one of the most dominant teams in NFL history. Under his leadership, the team clinched six Super Bowl titles, establishing itself as a dynasty. However, despite this success, Kraft’s collection of championship rings remains incomplete.
In 2005, following the Patriots’ third Super Bowl triumph, Kraft traveled to Saint Petersburg for a business meeting. During the visit, he met with Vladimir Putin, an encounter that took an unexpected turn. Kraft, excited about his recent victory, showed his Super Bowl ring to the Russian leader. That’s when things became surreal.
According to Kraft, Putin examined the diamond-studded ring before slipping it onto his own finger. As he admired it, he reportedly made a chilling remark:
"We had just given out our rings. I showed 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."
"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."
Understandably, Kraft was displeased with what had transpired. However, before he could attempt to retrieve the ring, he received a call from the White House. The Bush administration urged him to avoid escalating the situation, citing diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Russia. To maintain peace, Kraft reluctantly agreed to release a public statement, claiming that he had gifted the ring to Putin as a gesture of respect.
Years later, Kraft revisited the incident with a mix of humor and frustration. While speaking on Netflix's The Roast of Tom Brady, he made a direct appeal to the Russian leader, saying:
"In case Vladimir Putin, you're watching, give me my f*ing ring back, will ya?"
To this day, the New England Patriots Super Bowl ring remains in Russia, a relic of one of the most bizarre exchanges in sports history.