‘It’s really hard to believe’: Former Edmonton football player recovers 2015 Gray Cup ring


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Eddie Steele’s hand gleams with the sparkle of a champion once more.

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The former Edmonton football player’s 2015 Gray Cup ring was stolen from his vehicle in the early hours of April 27.

Steele, a defensive tackle who also won a Vanier Cup with the University of Manitoba Bisons in 2007, was in the middle of moving into his new home and had locked the ring in his glove box for safekeeping.

“I’ve done many moves in the past and things get lost or misplaced amongst the move, so I thought I would lock it in the glovebox, I knew exactly where it was,” said Steele.

Steele said he was not optimistic about recovering the ring but he took to social media to ask Edmontonians for help finding it — three weeks later he received a message on Twitter.

Steele opened the message on Sunday morning from a man saying he had found his ring. Steele called the man and met up with him Sunday afternoon.

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“It’s very surreal. It’s really hard to believe,” said Steele.

“Even just talking to people in my circle it’s quite shocking the fact that it did get recovered… I thought it was gone and I was at peace with it to be honest, but it’s a surreal feeling the fact that there are still some good people out there.”

Steele said the man paid about $60 to get the ring back, but he wouldn’t accept any payment from Steele. Instead, the man asked Steele to come for a barbecue with some inner-city youth.

“I said, ‘Easy, I can do that,’ and I’m going to get the kids some tickets to some games this year,” said Steele. On top of that, Steele said he has a couple “potential ideas” that could lead to a good relationship between the Edmonton Elks football club and inner-city youth.

Prior to the recovery of Steele’s ring, Edmonton Elks president and CEO Victor Cui offered to replace the 2015 championship ring.

“It wouldn’t have been the same. It wouldn’t have been the ring that I put the literal blood, sweat and tears on the line for to win, but it was an amazing gesture by Victor Cui and I’m glad we don’t have to go down that path anymore ,” said Steele.

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