A former New York Giants star has sold his Super Bowl ring for a near-record price at auction.
Plaxico Burress, who spent 12 years in the NFL as a wide receiver after being drafted in 2000, also played for the Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Jets.
GettyBurress played a key role in one of the greatest Super Bowl upsets[/caption]
His greatest moment came in 2008 when he won Super Bowl XLII against the New England Patriots.
The Giants held off Bill Belichick and Tom Brady in the big game, winning 17-14 in a tight affair at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
It was Burress who caught the touchdown that won New York the Super Bowl, bringing in a 13-yard pass from Eli Manning with just 35 seconds left.
The game is regarded as one of the biggest upsets in NFL history and, as is custom, the Giants were rewarded with Super Bowl rings to celebrate their victory.
But 17 years on, Burress has given his up.
According to Heritage Auctions, his ring has fetched $280,600 — a near-record price.
It is believed to be the second-most expensive Super Bowl ring ever sold, behind only the Super Bowl V ring won by Baltimore Colts head coach Don McCafferty.
That piece sold for $300,000 in 2022.
Burress’s ring has historical significance, not only because he caught the game-winning touchdown pass, but because the Giants’ Super Bowl victory ended New England’s attempt at an undefeated season and the first 19-0 record in NFL history.
Brady, who went on to win a record seven Super Bowls, admitted last year that the game still haunts him.
“We were crushed,” he said, recalling the loss in Apple TV’s The Dynasty: New England Patriots.
“I was crushed. My teammates were crushed, coaches were crushed. That was our history-making game.
“That would have been everything and I remember getting to the bus in Arizona and there was not a sound. It was pitch dark, we were as devastated as you could be.
“There was no sleep. There was no sleep for a long time.”
Speaking after this year’s Super Bowl, which he watched from the booth with Fox Sports, Brady added that he may never get over his 2008 loss.
“We were on the precipice of history,” the retired star said.
GettyBrady has admitted the loss to the Giants still haunts him[/caption]
“And I still haven’t really lived it down, because you care so deeply. The reality of a loss in this game is, you don’t ever get over them.”
While Super Bowl XLII was a low point for Brady, it provided a career high for Burress — but the former wide receiver has struggled in the years since.
Per a report from NBC Sports, he made around $30 million during his NFL career, but has a history of financial problems and civil lawsuits.
For Burress, parting with his Super Bowl ring was likely a tough decision, but perhaps a necessary one.
Stay up to date with the latest from across the NFL via our talkSPORT Facebook page, and subscribe to our Endzone YouTube channel for news, view and exclusive interviews as we build up to the NFL Draft in April
