The Packers and Jostens will continue their tradition of producing Super Bowl championship rings, which began with the first of its kind and will count four when Jostens' newest version is presented to the team on a date to be announced later.
"This will be the fourth ring they've designed and manufactured for the Packers," Packers President and CEO Mark Murphy said in explaining the team's decision to employ Jostens as the designer and manufacturer of the Packers' Super Bowl XLV championship ring.
"We did get input from the players. Before the lockout commenced we did get comments from our captains," Murphy said.
Coach Vince Lombardi was the lead voice in the design of the Packers' Super Bowl I championship ring. Then came Super Bowl II and, 29 years later, Super Bowl XXXI championship rings and, now, of course, the Packers' fourth Super Bowl championship and 13th league title. The coaches and players have changed through the years, but Jostens remains the team's ring designer.
"What I liked about Jostens is they have a tremendous reputation in the industry. We have a history with them. They've done every ring in Packers history. Mike McCarthy, Ted Thompson and I felt the sample ring they provided was the best," Murphy said.
"I want to give special mention to Russ Ball (vice president, football administration) and Tim Connolly (vice president of sales and marketing). They did a fine job working through the process," Murphy added.
"It just felt right," Connolly said of joining with Jostens on the project. "There was a sense that the ring should have some continuity and connection to our past rings. You look at the 1996 ring and you see elements of that in this ring."
Design of the ring will be withheld until the ring is unveiled at a celebration ceremony.
The Packers' Super Bowl I ring is cast in gold and has one diamond on the top representing the Packers' victory in Super Bowl I. The top of the ring displays "Green Bay Packers, World Champions" and the year, 1966. One side of the ring shows the score of Super Bowl I – Green Bay 35, Kansas City 10 – and has the NFL shield logo. The other side displays an image of the iconic Green Bay Packers helmet. The ring also displays three important words to Coach Lombardi and keys to the Packers' success: harmony, courage and valor.
"Jostens also impressed us with the ability to create special collections of commemorative jewelry. There will be exclusive collections made for shareholders, season-ticket holders and a fan collection," Connolly said.
The fan collection will be sold solely by the Packers Pro Shop and will be available by mid-summer.
