Inside the Stacks: Rings of Honor

The rings soon evolved from simple diamond and gold to elaborate multi-diamond creations worthy of a Roman emperor. The designs were usually determined by the winning team’s ownership, a group of players and maybe a coach. They can be as gaudy as you like, and the only requirement is that the design must include the Super Bowl logo somewhere on the ring.

While rings are often awarded to players and staff at festive celebratory occasions, Chiefs kicker Jan Stenerud remembered that he and his Super Bowl IV champion teammates received theirs in the mail.

Nevertheless, in November of 1970, Hunt took time to write to each player what was unique with the franchise’s first Super Bowl ring.

“Seven oak leaves and seven laurel leaves are presented on one side of the ring,” he wrote. “These signify achievement and victory.

“For your information, we chose the number seven because there were seven players who played on each of the three championship teams.”

The Chiefs had won championships up to that time in 1962, 1966 and again in 1969. It would be fifty years before they won another.

Hunt said he thought “this information might be a little something extra you could tell your grandchildren someday.”

SOURCES: “Hunt Correspondence 1966-1970”, Cabinet 16, Drawer D, Lamar Hunt to Pete Rozelle, July 19, 1970, Lamar Hunt to Jim Tyrer, November 5, 1970, Lamar Hunt to Fred Arbanas, November 5, 1970