RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 1 sourcesSAN FRANCISCO, CA - FEBRUARY 08: The Super Bowl trophy and the Super Bowl 50 MVP trophy was on display during the presentation for the MVP at the Moscone Center West on February 8, 2016 in San Francisco, California. Von Miller #58 of the Broncos was the games MVP. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
As fans gear up for what everyone in Broncos Country hopes will be another historic Super Bowl run, I got to thinking about the additional hardware that the Broncos picked up following their Super Bowl 50 run.
What I am talking about are the gold 5 and 0 that accompany the Lombardi trophy from that Super Bowl in just about every picture since the win.
Plenty of teams win Super Bowls. Only the Broncos got multiple trophies for doing so. #SB50 pic.twitter.com/nOIpfQr9DD
— Andrew Mason (@MaseDenver) April 28, 2016
Sure, leading up to Super Bowl 50, everyone saw these gold numerals with the Lombardi at various press conferences and whatnot, arranged proportionally to match the logo from that Super Bowl. There was never any indication they would be awarded alongside the Lombardi and, during the trophy presentation, the numbers were not part of the ceremony.
So what, exactly, are they? Wikipedia says :
In addition to the Vince Lombardi Trophy that all Super Bowl champions receive, the Broncos also received a large, 18-karat gold-plated “50”. Each digit weighs 33 lb (15 kg) for a total of 66 lb (30 kg). Like the Lombardi Trophy, the “50” was designed by Tiffany & Co.
So how did they go from press conference display pieces to prominent components of the Broncos trophy display case?
Well, that’s a great question, because internet research and AI assistance don’t provide a clear answer. Like I said, they weren’t a part of the postgame presentation and they don’t appear in any of the clips online during the parade or rally. In fact, the first time (that I can find) that they were seen, not in a promotional context and with the Broncos organization, was during the end-of-year press conference with legendary Broncos Gary Kubiak and John Elway. They are currently behind glass in the Broncos trophy case labeled “Super Bowl Trophy and Lombardi Trophy.” Probably the only time in the history of football, past or future, that the Lombardi trophy gets second billing.
These bonus trophies clearly were handed off sometime between the end of the trophy presentation and that press conference. One wonders if someone with the NFL saw them and wondered, “What am I going to do with these?” and sent them to Denver. It’s also entirely possible there was more than one set made since the NFL’s golden anniversary was such a big deal. If so, where are those? The Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio seems like a logical choice, but research and AI are unable to confirm or disconfirm.
So, Broncos Country, that Super Bowl 50 win got us not only a Lombardi, but two bonus trophies that are pretty awesome in their own right. No other team has ever received bonus trophies for winning a Super Bowl and so, if you ask me, that is just another reason why the Denver Broncos are the best team in the NFL… bur do we need any more reasons?
If you know anything about these bonus trophies, please share in the comments!
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