New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft announced that he would be taking part in the All In Challenge to raise money for food charities amid the COVID-19 pandemic. He is auctioning off his ring from Super Bowl LI and has already raised $1 million. The auction started at $75,000 and hit $1 million in only two days and 34 bids.
This piece of jewelry is the fifth of his six Super Bowl rings, but Kraft is willing to part ways with it to help those in need. He chose this specific ring due to it representing a significant comeback. He believes that the country is in a similar situation and that it will bounce back just like his team did to defeat the Atlanta Falcons. Providing money for these food charities will aid in that quest.
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“There’s a feeling in the country like we’ve never had in my lifetime. It sort of brought me back to our fifth Super Bowl when two minutes to go in the third quarter. We were down 28-3 and had a .4 percent chance to win … 99.6 chance to lose, and we came back,” Kraft said about the comeback. “It was through great teamwork, great effort, and no one believed it could be done. To me, that represents where we are in this country today.”
The winner of the ring will take part in a special day while picking up their prize. Kraft will take the team plane to their location and fly them to Gillette Stadium. He will then take the ring out of the trophy case and personally present it to the winning bidder.
The ring that he is auctioning off became a source of minor controversy following Super Bowl LI. The reason is that the ring incorporates 283 diamonds. This number is a reference to the 28-3 deficit that the Patriots fought back from to achieve victory. The team viewed it as inspiring, but Falcons owner Arthur Blank was not happy about the decision.
Organizers will use all proceeds raised from the sweepstakes and auctions to provide support for organizations like Meals on Wheels, World Central Kitchen and No Kid Hungry. Patriots quarterback Tom Brady previously raised $800,000 for the organizations when he auctioned off his first jersey from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a private dinner or workout, and tickets to a game. YouTuber Logan Thirtyacre provided the winning bid for this auction. He is a massive Patriots fan and attended Super Bowl LI when Kraft’s team won the ring.
