Ever heard a story so wild it sounds like a movie plot? This one involves a Super Bowl ring, a meeting with a world leader, and a twist that left an NFL owner stunned. Back in 2005, Patriots owner Robert Kraft found himself in Russia, shaking hands with President Vladimir Putin. What started as a friendly exchange quickly turned into a moment of disbelief when Kraft’s prized Super Bowl ring ended up in Putin’s pocket—and stayed there. What happened next? Let’s just say the White House got involved, and the ring became more than just a piece of jewelry.

Back in 2004, when Tom Brady led the Patriots to the third Super Bowl title, Robert Kraft was invited by banker Sanford Weill to visit Russia with Rupert Murdoch and others to meet with the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, in the summer of 2005. The reason for the meeting? To stimulate commerce between the U.S. and Russia. And that, folks, was the time when Kraft lost one of his Super Bowl rings.

Sounds pretty wild, right? Well, last year, during a Sunday Night’s “roast” of Tom Brady on Netflix, Kraft called out Putin to give his Super Bowl ring back. Yep, you read that right! One of the most powerful men in the world holds a Super Bowl ring. “And one more thing, in case Vladimir Putin, you’re watching, give me my (expletive) ring back, will ya?” Kraft said during the roast on Netflix.

The controversy surrounding Robert Kraft’s ring gained the spotlight back in March 2024 after the release of Apple TV’s “The Dynasty” series. The series is actually based on Jeff Benedict’s hit book that tells us the story of the New England Patriots‘ rise. In the book, Jeff mentioned the whole incident of how Kraft visited Russia and lost his ring to Putin.

“Afterward, as the American business leaders posed for a group photo with Putin, Weill encouraged Kraft to show his Super Bowl ring to the Russian leader. Kraft retrieved it from his pocket and handed it to Putin,” Benedict wrote in his book The Dynasty. “Putin admired the ring’s size and its 124 diamonds. ‘I could kill someone with this ring,’ he said as he slipped it on his finger and made a fist.”

Robert Kraft received a call from the President

Sure, Robert Kraft and the Patriots have won six Super Bowl rings, but the Patriots’ owner will always remember the Super Bowl XXXIX. The reason? Well, after Kraft showed the ring to Putin, it was time to take it back. But nah, the Russian leader had other plans.

Did Vladimir Putin really steal Robert Kraft’s Super Bowl ring? Well, that depends on who you ask. The Kremlin insists it was a gift, but Kraft has made it clear—he never intended to part with it. One moment, he was showing off the diamond-studded prize; the next, Putin slipped it into his pocket and never gave it back.

According to Jeff Benedict’s book, “As Putin removed the ring, Kraft put out his hand. But Putin slipped the ring into his own pocket. Perplexed, Kraft looked at Weill, who subtly shook his head from side to side, signaling Kraft not to say anything. But Putin was stealing his ring. Kraft couldn’t believe it.” 

Days after Kraft’s visit to Russia, the controversy started to circulate when Kraft claimed that ‘Putin stole his ring.’ To add to that, the Russian government declared that the ring was actually a gift from Kraft to Putin. Now, that’s a Knives Out-level twist, right?

In the end, Kraft chose diplomacy over confrontation. Following a call from George W. Bush’s White House, he publicly stated that the ring was a gift—a move likely made to avoid straining relations. Whether it was truly a generous gesture or a forced hand, one thing is certain: that Super Bowl ring never made its way back to New England.