Do Waterboys get rings?

A ring is a piece of jewelry that is easy to wear and looks just fantastic. It adds to one’s overall personality. But what about the big, shiny, and luxurious Super Bowl rings that NFL players and coaches get to wear after winning the most exciting game of the year? The Super Bowl rings are not the ordinary rings we get at the jewelry store. They go above and beyond to include intricate details with a certain level of added customization to make them stand out even more. The question that comes up is does every member of a Super Bowl winning NFL franchise receive a ring?

An NFL franchise is made up of a number of people. Some of them like the players and few coaches are always in the spotlight and can be seen every gameday. Then there are others involved in running the team and managing all sorts of aspects revolving around it such as the front office staff, back office staff, equipment managers, and other personnel. Not all of these faces ever come into the spotlight but make no mistake each and every staff member is important to the proper functioning of a team. That brings us to the waterboys.

Who are NFL waterboys?

The name waterboy in the NFL can be misleading on a number of accounts. Firstly, even though the name suggests it as a masculine profession, the position is not gender specific and many females are also employed for the role. Secondly, these are also not children as the name may suggest since for the most part waterboys need a formal education in sports medicine and health science. They are actually members of the training staff and it is one of the entry-level jobs on offer. Several trainers have started their career with this position before making the jump to professional trainers.

The NFL requires all waterboys to be knowledgeable of the game, have a certain level of fitness, and have medicinal background as their main duties involve keeping all the players sufficiently hydrated. It is the waterboy’s job to fill all the bottles, hand out towels, keep the players well hydrated, amongst other smaller tasks. The waterboy needs to be present on game day as well as during training sessions.

Are waterboys eligible for rings?

Whether or not waterboys get a Super Bowl ring is totally up to the franchise as there is no mandate put in place by the league as to who should or should not get a ring. The league for its part provides roughly $5,000-$7,000 per ring and for approximately 150 rings. The rest of the amount has to be borne by the franchise.

As these rings can cost anywhere between $30,000 to $50,000 per ring, not all franchises are willing to spend so much on all members of the staff so it completely depends on who will get a Super Bowl ring. Some franchises are known to hand out rings to the cheerleading squad, to the mascot, and other personnel, however no such mandate is in place.

How much does a waterboy earn?

A waterboys job is a full time position with the team as they are required to work for a full 40 hours per week especially during the NFL season. They are required to sign a contract and typically earn somewhere between $50,000-$60,000 annually. This amount may vary depending upon the level of experience a particular individual has and also depending upon the salary structure for different teams. On the other hand some waterboys may receive a small stipend or unpaid internships for their high school or college.

Apart from the salary, waterboys also receive perks in the form of health insurance, mental health, and a dental package. They are also known to get various paid leaves throughout the year. In order to manage the entire squad, teams generally have to resort to hiring multiple waterboys.