What to know about the Lombardi Trophy, which is awarded to Super Bowl winner (2024)

steve gardner, usa today

·2 min read

Editor's note: For all the latest Super Bowl 2024 news, highlights, scores and analysis, follow our live updates here.

The ultimate prize in professional football is the Vince Lombardi Trophy, which is awarded each season to the Super Bowl champion.

But how did the Lombardi Trophy come to symbolize excellence in the NFL? And when was it first awarded?

The Kansas City Chiefs won't give up possession of the trophy willingly though. Last season's Super Bowl champs are back again, and they'll be facing a familiar opponent in Super Bowl 58 in the San Francisco 49ers. These same two teams met four years ago in Miami – where the Chiefs prevailed 31-20.

Want to know more about the Lombardi Trophy? You've come to the right place.

Who is Vince Lombardi?

A good place to start is with the man for whom the trophy is named.

Vincent Thomas Lombardi was a head coach in the NFL for only 10 seasons, but his legacy as a leader and strategist is immense. Lombardi led the Green Bay Packers from the depths of despair to the league's model franchise shortly after he took over in 1959.

Taking over a team that went 1-10-1 the previous season, Lombardi led the Packers to a 7-5 mark in his first year, a division title in his second year and back-to-back championships in Years 3 and 4. Green Bay went on to win three more NFL titles under Lombardi, including the first two Super Bowls. He also coached one year in Washington before dying of cancer in 1970.

What is the origin of the Lombardi Trophy?

The story goes like this: In 1966, former NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle wanted to have a trophy for the winner of the inaugural NFL-AFL Championship Game. He had lunch with the vice president of Tiffany and Co., Oscar Riedner, who sketched out the design of a trophy on a co*cktail napkin.

The first trophy closely resembled the one in use today, made entirely of sterling silver with a football positioned on top of a three-sided base. Rozelle had the words "World Professional Football Championship" engraved on the trophy and presented it to the Packers after their win over the Chiefs on Jan. 15, 1967.

Following Lombardi's death in 1970, the trophy was renamed in his honor.

Do NFL teams get to keep the Lombardi Trophy?

Yes, they do. The NFL casts a new trophy every year to award to the Super Bowl champion.

The Pittsburgh Steelers and New England Patriots have the most Lombardi Trophies with six. The 49ers can claim their sixth with a victory in Super Bowl 58.

Smaller replicas of the Lombardi Trophy are given to each member of the winning team.

How much does the Lombardi Trophy weigh?

The Lombardi Trophy is 22 inches tall and weighs approximately seven pounds (3.2 kg).

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Lombardi Trophy: History, facts about Super Bowl champion prize

What to know about the Lombardi Trophy, which is awarded to Super Bowl winner (2024)

FAQs

Do Super Bowl winners get to keep the Lombardi Trophy? ›

Each year, only one official Lombardi Trophy is created for the Super Bowl-winning team, remaining in their possession permanently.

Which of these trophies do you get for winning the Super Bowl? ›

The Vince Lombardi Trophy is the award received by the victorious team following the NFL's championship game, the Super Bowl. Currently, there are two teams tied for possessing the most Lombardi trophies throughout the entire NFL, with the Pittsburgh Steelers and New England Patriots each having six.

Why is the Super Bowl trophy named after Lombardi? ›

The trophy is named after the legendary Vince Lombardi, who coached the Green Bay Packers to victory in the first two Super Bowls. It was presented for the first time in 1967 to Lombardi himself, though of course it was not yet named for him—that honor followed after his death in 1970.

When you win the Super Bowl does every player get a trophy? ›

The NFL casts a new trophy every year to award to the Super Bowl champion. The Pittsburgh Steelers and New England Patriots have the most Lombardi Trophies with six. The 49ers can claim their sixth with a victory in Super Bowl 58. Smaller replicas of the Lombardi Trophy are given to each member of the winning team.

What does the Super Bowl winner get? ›

The latest collective bargaining agreement between the NFL Players Association and the NFL dictates that each member of the winning team will receive $164,000, a $7,000 bump over last year's total. Winners of the 2025 Super Bowl will receive $171,000.

How much did the 2024 Super Bowl ring cost? ›

The NFL contributes from $5,000 to $7,000 per ring for up to 150 rings per team, with any additional costs being borne by the team. The final cost usually comes in at between $30k and $50k per ring.

Does each NFL player get a Lombardi Trophy? ›

It is then sent back to the winning team for them to keep. Smaller replicas are made for each person on the winning team. For the first four championship games, both the NFL and the AFL logos were in the center of the trophy. Starting from Super Bowl V, only the NFL shield was on the front.

How many Super Bowls did Lombardi win? ›

Coach Lombardi is best known as the head coach of the Green Bay Packers (1959-1967). Under his leadership, the Packers won five NFL Championships in seven years, including the first two Super Bowls. The trophy awarded to the Super Bowl champions is named the Vince Lombardi Trophy in his honor.

What is the reward for the Super Bowl? ›

Divisional playoff winner: $50,500. Conference championship winner: $73,000. Super Bowl winner: $164,000.

How much was the cheapest ticket to the Super Bowl in 2024? ›

The cheapest face-value tickets for this year's Super Bowl sold directly by the NFL were about $2,000. And that price was after fans, including season ticket holders, win the chance to fork over several grand to buy them via a lottery system.

Who won the Lombardi Award in 2024? ›

The Kansas City Chiefs won the 2024 Super Bowl on Sunday in Las Vegas, beating the San Francisco 49ers by 25-22, led by quarterback Patrick Mahomes. After the game, Mahomes and the rest of his team received the Vince Lombardi Trophy, which is annually presented to the NFL Super Bowl winner since 1967.

What's the cost of a Super Bowl ticket this year? ›

The average ticket price to get in Allegiant Stadium was $9,815 on Monday morning, according to secondary retailer TickPick. As of Friday morning, the cheapest Super Bowl LVIII ticket is going for $8,099. For reference, last year's Super Bowl between the Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles cost an average of $5,795.

Do janitors get Super Bowl rings? ›

Who gets a Super Bowl ring? It's not just players and coaches! Team owners have latitude to offer a Super Bowl ring to anyone they want to and that often includes cheerleaders and even janitors.

Do teams get to keep the Lombardi Trophy? ›

Do NFL teams get to keep the Lombardi Trophy? Yes, they do. The NFL casts a new trophy every year to award to the Super Bowl champion. The Pittsburgh Steelers and New England Patriots have the most Lombardi Trophies with six.

Do players have to pay for their Super Bowl rings? ›

They're not free: The cost per Super Bowl ring can run anywhere from $30,000 to $50,000. The New England Patriots' Super Bowl XLIX rings, for instance, cost $36,500 each. A full set of rings for a team can cost upwards of $5 million. Who pays for them: The NFL contributes $5,000 per ring for the first 150 rings.

What happens to the Lombardi Trophy after the Super Bowl? ›

After the trophy is awarded, it is sent back to Tiffany's to be engraved with the names of the participating teams, the date, location, and the game's final score. It is then sent back to the winning team for them to keep. Smaller replicas are made for each person on the winning team.

Who gets the Vince Lombardi Trophy in 2024? ›

The Kansas City Chiefs won the 2024 Super Bowl on Sunday in Las Vegas, beating the San Francisco 49ers by 25-22, led by quarterback Patrick Mahomes. After the game, Mahomes and the rest of his team received the Vince Lombardi Trophy, which is annually presented to the NFL Super Bowl winner since 1967.

How much is a real Super Bowl trophy worth? ›

In strict commercial terms, a Lombardi Trophy is worth about $10,000. The Lombardi Trophy is made from sterling silver in an elaborate, months-long process by Tiffany & Co.

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