If you know about the Super Bowl, you might know that Super Bowl Rings are awarded each year to the players on the winning team and other various stakeholders. But, are the cheerleaders included? They're certainly an important part of creating an exciting atmosphere to amp up the crowd.
Do Cheerleaders Get Super Bowl Rings?
Cheerleaders for the National Football League (NFL) will occasionally get Super Bowl rings, depending on the policy of the team's owner. In some cases, they might not get a ring, but they could get another piece of jewelry, like a giant pendant. To better understand how the system works, it's important to know who pays for the rings.
The NFL gives between $5,000 and $7,000 per ring up to 150 rings for the team who wins the Super Bowl. Since the owners like to go big, they usually opt to spend around $30,000-$50,000 per ring, covering the extra cost out of their own pockets. They can purchase more than 150 rings, but they'll also have to pay that extra cost to the jeweler (who is usually Jostens or Tiffany and Co.).
The owner gets to choose who they give these rings to. They're not limited to just giving rings to the players, so sometimes they'll include the cheerleaders - but it's their choice.
Notable Times Cheerleaders Did (or Didn't) Get Rings
It's not exactly common for NFL cheerleaders to receive Super Bowl rings, but there have been a few times they did. Team owners may find other ways to reward their cheerleaders if Super Bowl rings aren't in the equation. Some cheerleaders have even found their own ways to commemorate the championship - because they still deserve to celebrate!
2020 Kansas City Chiefs Included Cheerleaders & Employees
Kansas City gave Super Bowl rings to cheerleaders and all full-time employees to commemorate their big win against the San Francisco 49ers. It is a team effort, after all!
2016 Denver Broncos: Rings for Everyone
When the Denver Broncos won Super Bowl 50 in 2016, the owners gave official Super Bowl rings to the cheerleaders as well. In fact, not only did the cheerleaders get rings, but so did the trainers and the team's beat reporter.
2015 New England Patriots Awarded Championship Pendant Necklaces
The Patriots cheerleaders didn't get rings, they got something pretty great: huge diamond-encrusted pendants that have all the bling and symbols that the official Super Bowl ring has and more - along with a message inscribed that says "We are all Patriots."
2013 Baltimore Ravens: Cheerleaders Buy Their Own
The cheerleaders for the Ravens were not so lucky as the Broncos cheerleaders when the Ravens won Super Bowl 47. In an interview with Esquire, a Ravens cheerleader named Alyssa explained (in the final question) that they would not likely be getting rings (only the players and front office), but the cheerleaders would be buying rings for each other to commemorate it.
2010 New Orleans Saints: Rings for a Good Cause
Although the Saints cheerleaders did not get rings when the team won Super Bowl 44 in 2010, the owner did some noble things with their rings:
- The team gave an official ring to former special teams player Steve Gleason, who had retired before the Saints won their Super Bowl in 2010. Gleason had been diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease), and the team wanted to honor him.
- The same year, the team gave one of their rings to a raffle to raise money for those affected by the Gulf oil spill that year. The ring raised $1.4 million for local charities.
Choosing Ring Recipients Isn't an Easy Decision
In truth, owners agonize over who should get rings because they know some people will inevitably get left out, and feelings may get hurt. But every team has to draw the line somewhere. Sometimes NFL cheerleaders get in on the Super Bowl bling, but sometimes not. It just comes down to that particular owner and what they decide.
