The first Super Bowl LIX ring to hit the auction block has already found a new home - and it made headlines not because it belonged to a star quarterback or a Pro Bowl pass rusher, but because of who didn’t wear it on Sundays.
Laekin Vakalahi, a 22-year-old offensive tackle from Auckland, New Zealand, sold his Eagles Super Bowl ring for a hefty $124,440, per Darren Rovell. While Vakalahi never played a snap in an NFL game, his story is anything but ordinary - and his decision to part with the hardware adds another layer to a winding journey that spanned continents, sports, and dreams.
Vakalahi spent the 2024 season on the Philadelphia Eagles’ practice squad. Though he wasn’t active on game days, the team still awarded him a Super Bowl ring after their championship win over the Kansas City Chiefs in February. That’s standard practice in the NFL - practice squad members are often recognized with rings, especially in tight-knit locker rooms where every body in the building contributes to the grind of a title run.
Just weeks after tying the knot in Utah, Vakalahi listed the ring for auction. His social media post about his wedding spoke to a man focused on the future: “Sealed to my sweetheart for time and all eternity,” he wrote.
“What a blessing.” That sentiment - starting a new chapter - seemed to echo in his decision to let the ring go.
Vakalahi’s path to the NFL was far from conventional. He grew up in Melbourne, Australia, where he played basketball and competed in junior rugby league - two sports that demand toughness, agility, and raw physicality.
But it was a chance encounter with former NFL lineman Chris Naeole, who was working as an international scout for the Eagles, that changed everything. That meeting opened the door to an opportunity many only dream of: a shot at the NFL.
At 6-foot-5, Vakalahi had the size and athletic traits that teams look for in developmental offensive linemen. The Eagles signed him to their practice squad, and after the Super Bowl win, they inked him to a reserve/futures contract in February 2025.
But as is often the case in the NFL, the numbers game caught up to him. Vakalahi was waived during final roster cuts in August, and just like that, his NFL stint came to an end before it ever truly began.
Still, his Super Bowl ring carried value - both sentimental and financial. And Vakalahi isn’t the first player to sell his.
NFL history is filled with similar stories: Rocky Bleier parted with his Steelers ring during financial hardship. Plaxico Burress sold his Giants ring.
Josh Gordon auctioned off his Patriots ring. Each case different, but all underscoring that these rings, while symbols of glory, often come with complex emotions and personal decisions.
Fans had mixed reactions when news of Vakalahi’s sale surfaced. Some applauded the move, pointing out that the ring might not hold the same meaning for someone who never saw the field. Others felt he might regret the decision down the line, especially if the ring’s value appreciates or if he later reflects on his brief but rare place in NFL history.
Regardless of public opinion, one thing’s certain: the Eagles’ second Super Bowl title now has a unique footnote. One of its rings - once earned by a young lineman from the other side of the globe - now sits with a private collector. Behind it is a story of ambition, opportunity, and a player who reached the doorstep of football’s biggest stage.
Not every NFL story ends in a highlight reel. Some, like Vakalahi’s, are quieter - but no less compelling.