New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft has finally addressed the long-standing rumor surrounding his Super Bowl ring and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
For years, there was speculation that Putin had taken one of Kraft’s Super Bowl rings during a meeting between the two. According to the legend, Putin admired the ring and decided to keep it for himself, despite Kraft’s expectation of its return.
During an episode of “The Dynasty” docuseries on Apple TV+, Kraft confirmed the truth behind the rumor. He recounted how Putin indeed took the Super Bowl ring during a visit in 2005 and chose to keep it. What’s more, Kraft revealed that the White House advised him to fabricate a story to explain how the ring ended up in Putin’s possession, suggesting it would benefit US-Soviet relations.
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“He took the ring off, and I had my hand out, and he took the ring. He put it in his side pocket. Three KGB guys come around him, and he’s off. A call came in from the White House, and they said, ‘It would be good for US-Soviet relations if you (said you) meant to give them the ring as a gift.’”
Despite this incident, Kraft still maintains an impressive collection of Super Bowl rings, ensuring that he has enough to adorn one hand. While the situation may have been less than ideal, Kraft’s abundance of rings serves as a silver lining to the story.