Plaxico Burress Sets Record with Sale of Super Bowl XLII Ring

PITTSBURGH — Former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Plaxico Burress has sold his Super Bowl XLII ring for a record $280,600 at Heritage Auctions, surpassing the previous record of $230,000 set by Lawrence Taylor.

The iconic ring, won by Burress with the New York Giants in 2007, garnered significant attention due to Burress’s pivotal role in the game, where he caught the game-winning touchdown from quarterback Eli Manning against the undefeated New England Patriots.

The record-breaking sale was confirmed by NFL business analyst Darren Rovell. The bidding started at just $67,500 on February 9 before dramatically increasing to its historic final amount.

Burress had a successful career in the NFL, earning $29,366,150, according to Spotrac. However, since retiring, he has faced numerous financial difficulties, including a foreclosure on his home in Lighthouse Point, Florida, in 2010, and another in Totowa, New Jersey, in 2018.

In 2015, he was charged with tax evasion after failing to pay $46,000 in taxes on a $1 million income in 2013. Burress pleaded to a lesser charge, resulting in five years of probation and $56,000 in restitution.

Selected eighth overall by the Steelers in the 2000 NFL Draft, Burress spent five seasons with Pittsburgh before joining the Giants and later returning for a final season with the Steelers in 2012. His career was marked by both accomplishments and controversies, including a 20-month prison sentence stemming from a guilty plea for attempted weapon possession.

The extraordinary sale of Burress’s Super Bowl ring highlights both the player’s legacy and the growing market for sports memorabilia.