This photo is from September 2005, when Kraft originally told the story.
Credit: Getty Images
Russian President Vladimir Putin has done some pretty shady things during his two tenures in charge. Also while he was prime minister in the interim. And when he was prime minister before becoming president for the first time.
(What the hell is up with Russian power structure anyway? President? Prime minister? Which is it, guys?)
Of course, he was also a member of the KGB for 16 years during the height of the Cold War.
But never has he done anything as shady as what Patriots owner Robert Kraft alleged this weekend. Putin, on a visit to the United States in 2005, STOLE KRAFT’S SUPER BOWL XXXIX RING! Like, legitimately stole the $25,000 ring.
Supposedly, Kraft let Putin try the ring on and take a look at it, whereupon he slipped it in his pocket and left the meeting. What?!
Well Kraft went to the White House and said, “Putin totally stole my Super Bowl ring.” But the White House told him to let it go and claim it was a gift, in order to avoid further tension between the two countries. Kraft told this story at an event at the Waldorf-Astoria and apparently he’s tired of the charade.
It’s worth noting this isn’t the first time Kraft has made this claim. Back in 2005 when it happened, he said Putin misunderstood his showing the ring for gifting it to him.
Oh, but wait. Now that the story has gotten more specific and traveled virally around the world— literally— we’ve gotten Putin’s response Sunday morning and no surprise, he denies it all.
“What Mr. Kraft is saying now is weird,” Russian spokesman Dmitry Peskov told CNN. “I was standing 20 centimeters away from him and Mr. Putin and saw and heard how Mr. Kraft gave this ring as a gift.”
Oh man, this is getting good. Hopefully we get a stare down between Bill Belichick and Putin. If anyone can bully Putin into giving the ring back, it’s Belichick.
Follow Metro New York Sports Editor Mark Osborne on Twitter @MetroNYSports. Don’t worry, no shirtless pictures on horseback will be shared.
