General question about winning a championship as a backup

[Smoovee7]

Jalen Milroe is now a SB champion. Obviously he was a backup and I am using him as an example with my overall question. I have never played on a championship team so I wanted to see how people feel about this.

I am sure every individual on the team worked extremely hard (even the players that didn't actually see much playing time in games including practice squad) But in winning a Super Bowl ring as a player that did not play that much, do you think some of those players will feel as though they "earned" their ring as much as player that did play a considerable amount in games? Obviously there is learning playbooks, staying in shape, being ready, etc. but IDK how I would feel getting a ring if I only took part in a small % of actual games through out the season. Should I be thinking of this differently?

 

[Slowpoke Catracho]

He still played in practice and maybe on a scout squad. Still part of the team and a part of a championship effort. When you are back-up you have to be ready when the unthinkable happens.

 

[Tidewater]

Jalen Milroe is now a SB champion. Obviously he was a backup and I am using him as an example with my overall question. I have never played on a championship team so I wanted to see how people feel about this.

I am sure every individual on the team worked extremely hard (even the players that didn't actually see much playing time in games including practice squad) But in winning a Super Bowl ring as a player that did not play that much, do you think some of those players will feel as though they "earned" their ring as much as player that did play a considerable amount in games? Obviously there is learning playbooks, staying in shape, being ready, etc. but IDK how I would feel getting a ring if I only took part in a small % of actual games through out the season. Should I be thinking of this differently?

Coaches, (well, good coaches, anyway) spend a lot of time trying to mold players into a team.
This kind of thinking (he did not play much so he should feel uncomfortable about wearing a SB ring) would be foreign to most players on team sports. Milroe did everything that was asked of him. It would be presumtuous of anyone to suggest he did not earn his ring.

 

[DzynKingRTR]

Milroe wasn't even the backup for the game. He was the backup's backup, the emergency QB. Both the starter and backup would have to have been completely unable to play for him to play. The NFL implemented the emergency QB rule a few years ago when the 49ers (i think) had so many injuries to the QB position they had a game where they had no QB and a position player had to take snaps. Most times the emergency QB is an inactive player, but not always. I believe the emergency QB can take snaps at other positions just cannot play QB.

Ouzts was a last minute scratch. He has a neck injury.

Yes both still get rings because they practiced and actually took snaps during the year.

 

[Slowpoke Catracho]

I guess even when he's moved on, JM still occupies the minds of some fans. Can't we just be happy for a former player?

 

[RollTide-YNWA]

I guess even when he's moved on, JM still occupies the minds of some fans. Can't we just be happy for a former player?

Agreed. I am about as far from a Milroe apologist as one can get, but congrats to him. Not sure why he was singled out. Every backup, or backup to a backup, that had practiced a played contributed one way or another throughout the year and gets a ring. He may feel like Steve Young did and put it in a drawer until he's a starter, but that doesn't mean he shouldn't get one like the rest of the team, and every backup on the team (and even sometimes traded players who were on the team).

 

[alabama mike1]

If you are on the 53 man roster or whatever it is now, you are a part of the team and deserve to wear the ring just like anyone else.

 

[The Ols]

They give receptionists rings…

 

[DzynKingRTR]

They give receptionists rings…

I think even the radio play by play guys get rings. Some might be shocked at the number of guys and gals that get rings

 

[Elefantman]

It's a team sport. At some level everyone made a contribution. The guy on special teams who only plays on punt coverage could be the difference between a win or a lose with a good tackle. His backup may have given him a tip on how to play the guy returning the punt. They all deserve a ring.

 

[DzynKingRTR]

It's a team sport. At some level everyone made a contribution. The guy on special teams who only plays on punt coverage could be the difference between a win or a lose with a good tackle. His backup may have given him a tip on how to play the guy returning the punt. They all deserve a ring.

They should give architects that designed the team hotel a ring.

 

[selmaborntidefan]

But in winning a Super Bowl ring as a player that did not play that much, do you think some of those players will feel as though they "earned" their ring as much as player that did play a considerable amount in games? Obviously there is learning playbooks, staying in shape, being ready, etc. but IDK how I would feel getting a ring if I only took part in a small % of actual games through out the season. Should I be thinking of this differently?

In the book October 1964, David Halberstam tells about when Clete Boyer (Yankees, 1959-66) welcomed another guy to the team and said that the cool thing about playing for the Yankees is that you win the World Series so often, you get your ring and then you get one for your wife and one for each of your kids. Also, Charlie Silvera was the backup catcher who made more money in World Series checks than he did salary backing up Yogi Berra and referred to his home in San Francisco as "the house that Yogi built."

Cliff Stoudt set a record I doubt will ever be broken. He was drafted by the Steelers in 1977 in the 5th round and spent fifty-six games on the bench before he ever took a professional snap. In fact, he was third-string and won TWO SUPER BOWL RINGS before he ever appeared in an NFL game. Do you think he tells himself, "Nah, I didn't win these"?

Sean Landeta won two rings in the USFL for the Stars. He later won 2 rings as the punter on the New York Giants. A punter. A starter but yeah, a punter. And asked about it, he said that while the prestige of the Super Bowl was obviously much higher, the feeling of winning a championship was 100% the exact same feeling.

I've said more than once that I'd be fine being an NFL backup with a sizeable salary who rarely played as long as I won some rings.

Gale Gilbert was third-string on the Buffalo Bills teams that lost four straight Super Bowls and then on the Chargers who lost the next year, five straight Super Bowl losses.

You think it mattered to him?

I'll bet it did.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

Jalen Milroe is now a SB champion. Obviously he was a backup and I am using him as an example with my overall question. I have never played on a championship team so I wanted to see how people feel about this.

I am sure every individual on the team worked extremely hard (even the players that didn't actually see much playing time in games including practice squad) But in winning a Super Bowl ring as a player that did not play that much, do you think some of those players will feel as though they "earned" their ring as much as player that did play a considerable amount in games? Obviously there is learning playbooks, staying in shape, being ready, etc. but IDK how I would feel getting a ring if I only took part in a small % of actual games through out the season. Should I be thinking of this differently?

Depends on the player. I've seen players who weren't active participants in championship teams auction off their rings.

 

[selmaborntidefan]

Depends on the player. I've seen players who weren't actively participants in championship teams auction off their rings.

Alvin Garrett auctioned off his ring, and he caught a TD pass for Washington in Super Bowl XVII. I believe he was going to use the money to start a pastoral ministry.

Of course, the ring means different things to different guys, too.

 

[Tidewater]

Milroe wasn't even the backup for the game. He was the backup's backup, the emergency QB. Both the starter and backup would have to have been completely unable to play for him to play. The NFL implemented the emergency QB rule a few years ago when the 49ers (i think) had so many injuries to the QB position they had a game where they had no QB and a position player had to take snaps. Most times the emergency QB is an inactive player, but not always. I believe the emergency QB can take snaps at other positions just cannot play QB.

Ouzts was a last minute scratch. He has a neck injury.

Yes both still get rings because they practiced and actually took snaps during the year.

A few years ago, the Redskins had so many QBs injured that Mitchell (RB) had to play QB. It went about as well as you would expect.

 

[Elefantman]

What about the "video security" guys on Belichick's team that didn't get a ring because their existence could not be acknowledged.

 

[Ledsteplin]


Everyone on a winning Super Bowl team's roster, including inactive players, injured reserve (IR) players, and practice squad members, receives a Super Bowl ring, regardless of whether they played in the final game, or any other game. All teams have players like that.

 

[davefrat]

They all work their butts off all year and they all deserve a ring, like them or not.

And the kicker deserved to be MVP last night.

 

[DzynKingRTR]

A few years ago, the Redskins had so many QBs injured that Mitchell (RB) had to play QB. It went about as well as you would expect.

yeah, it was the skins that prompted the emergency QB rule. I think I assumed niners because of Purdy's injury history

 

[UAH]

In the book October 1964, David Halberstam tells about when Clete Boyer (Yankees, 1959-66) welcomed another guy to the team and said that the cool thing about playing for the Yankees is that you win the World Series so often, you get your ring and then you get one for your wife and one for each of your kids. Also, Charlie Silvera was the backup catcher who made more money in World Series checks than he did salary backing up Yogi Berra and referred to his home in San Francisco as "the house that Yogi built."

Cliff Stoudt set a record I doubt will ever be broken. He was drafted by the Steelers in 1977 in the 5th round and spent fifty-six games on the bench before he ever took a professional snap. In fact, he was third-string and won TWO SUPER BOWL RINGS before he ever appeared in an NFL game. Do you think he tells himself, "Nah, I didn't win these"?

Sean Landeta won two rings in the USFL for the Stars. He later won 2 rings as the punter on the New York Giants. A punter. A starter but yeah, a punter. And asked about it, he said that while the prestige of the Super Bowl was obviously much higher, the feeling of winning a championship was 100% the exact same feeling.

I've said more than once that I'd be fine being an NFL backup with a sizeable salary who rarely played as long as I won some rings.

Gale Gilbert was third-string on the Buffalo Bills teams that lost four straight Super Bowls and then on the Chargers who lost the next year, five straight Super Bowl losses.

You think it mattered to him?

I'll bet it did.

Of course 1964 represented the end of the Yankee era. Mantle was but a shadow of what he had been over his incredible career. I recall the fitting end to the dynasty when Clete hit a 9th inning home run in game 7 at Busch Stadium. The game was far out of reach of the Yankees as Clete trotted past his brother Ken approaching 3rd base. Berra had 10 world series rings at that point streatching from 1947.