WASHINGTON — New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft hopes his buddy President Trump can score a diplomatic victory with Russian President Vladimir Putin – by retrieving one of his treasured Super Bowl rings.
“I do have an emotional attachment to that ring,” Kraft told Fox News Sunday.
Page Six reported that Putin stole Kraft’s $25,000 Super Bowl ring during their meeting in 2005. Putin admired his diamond ring and Kraft let him try it on.
“I could kill someone with this ring,” Putin remarked. When Kraft put out his hand to get his ring back, Putin — surrounded by three KGB agents — pocketed the ring and took off.
Kraft said he’d be willing to make a new one for the Russian leader in exchange for getting the second of his four Super Bowl rings back — and Trump could be the courier.
“I was willing to have one made with his name on it. Maybe we will have the new president bring it to him when he connects with him,” Kraft said.
Asked whether his longtime friendship with Trump has caused him or the team any hardship, Kraft cited Trump’s compassion when his wife died in 2011.
“I believe in loyalty to friends, and the president has been a great friend of mine for over 20 years. And one of the most difficult times of my life he was there for me,” Kraft said, noting Trump called and checked in on him every week for a year.
Meanwhile, the NFL players association executive director DeMaurice Smith told CBS’s “Face the Nation” he hopes Trump maintains Obamacare’s support for preexisting conditions or else retired players may not have access to healthcare.
“We have a 100 percent injury rate in the National Football League. So every player leaves the National Football League with a preexisting condition,” Smith said.
Smith also took issue with Trump’s previous remarks that football has gotten too “soft” in the wake of concussion restrictions.
“If he wants to find out just how soft the game is, he can come down to the sideline and watch a game and hear the collisions and watch our players … and see how our players feel [on Mondays],” Smith added.