The Kansas City Chiefs are once again Super Bowl champions, meaning that elaborate hardware — and further celebration — awaited the winners.
The wait was over Thursday night. Players and coaches received their rings in a swanky ceremony in Kansas City, four months after they defeated the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl. The rings were worth the wait. As is customary with contemporary championship hardware, the rings were loaded with precious stones and contained a hidden compartment.
The Chiefs offered a look at the rings on social media — but not until after the Chiefs got a look first. Here they are, complete with a golden replica of Arrowhead Stadium and a quote from late franchise founder Lamar Hunt underneath a retractable lid.
“Arrowhead Stadium is my favorite place on Earth,” an inscription reads.
The Chiefs also released a detailed explanation of what all the diamonds and rubies mean.
The highlights include a ring of 38 diamonds representing their 38-35 win over the Eagles, another ring of 54 diamonds representing the combined deficit overcome in their last two Super Bowl wins and 16 rubies reading “KC” representing the franchise’s 16 division championships. And of course, three diamond replicas of the Lombardi Trophy represent the franchise’s three Super Bowl victories.
In short, it’s a lot of jewels: 629 diamonds and 35 rubies in each ring to be exact, weighing a total of 16.1 carats.
Chiefs, including head coach Andy Reid, showed up in their formal finest for pre-ceremony red-carpet interviews.
There, quarterback Patrick Mahomes promised to down multiple beers.
“I’ll just go until I can’t go anymore,” Mahomes said.
Tight end Travis Kelce vowed not to be outdone by Mahomes in the celebration.
“You know I didn’t get any kids,” Kelce said when asked who would go longer after the ceremony.
Once inside, the rings awaited the Chiefs as they arrived at their assigned seats. Mahomes tried to get a sneak peek before the big reveal.
Ultimately he waited for the official countdown to put the jewelry on.
Everyone seems pleased.
The rings are the second each for Reid, Mahomes and Kelce. With all three back in Kansas City next season, they’ll have a better shot than most at adding a third.