Will the Super Bowl LX champion team get to keep the Vince Lombardi trophy? The interesting story and tradition of the iconic prize

When the clock hits zero on Super Bowl Sunday, cameras rush to one moment. The trophy presentation. Confetti falls, players hug, and the owner of the winning franchise lifts a gleaming silver football into the air. It looks ceremonial, almost symbolic. But fans often wonder something simple. Does the winning team actually keep that trophy? Let's find out.

Does the Vince Lombardi Trophy stay with the winning team, or does it go to the owner?

It stays with the winning team. The winner of Super Bowl 60 between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks will take permanent ownership of the Vince Lombardi Trophy. The NFL does not recycle the same piece each year. A brand-new trophy is made every season, specifically for that champion. What you see lifted on stage becomes part of that franchise’s history forever.The Vince Lombardi Trophy stands 56 centimeters tall and weighs 3.18 kilograms. It is made of sterling silver and handcrafted annually by Tiffany and Co. in New Jersey. Its design has remained unchanged since the first Super Bowl in 1967. The trophy features a regulation-size American football in a kicking position mounted on a simple stand.

The design story is part of NFL lore. Tiffany vice president Oscar Riedner originally sketched the concept on a cocktail napkin while having lunch with NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle. That quick drawing became one of the most recognizable championship trophies in the world.

The trophy is named after legendary Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi, who guided his team to victories in the first two Super Bowls. At the age of 57 Lombardi was diagnosed with an aggressive form of colon cancer, and he died 10 weeks later in September 1970. In recognition of his achievements, Lombardi was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame and the Super Bowl prize was renamed in his honour.

Another detail that often surprises fans is who receives it first. In the NFL, the Vince Lombardi Trophy is presented to the owner of the winning team. That tradition aligns with most American sports. The NBA also hands its championship trophy to ownership, and Major League Baseball awards The Commissioner’s Trophy to the owner, general manager and manager. The NHL stands apart, giving the Stanley Cup directly to the winning captain on the ice. Major League Soccer follows that model with the MLS Cup.

Before 1996, the Super Bowl trophy ceremony took place inside the locker room. Now it unfolds on a custom built stage at midfield. NFL legends carry the trophy to the commissioner, who presents it to the owner as the Lombardi Trophy Processional plays throughout the stadium.

For the champions, the silver football is not temporary. It is theirs to keep.

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