Falcons owner Arthur Blank irked by Patriots' 283-diamond rings

— -- If the Falcons' collapse against the Patriots in Super Bowl LI wasn't enough, Atlanta owner Arthur Blank says the disappointment didn't lessen when New England unveiled its championship rings -- and all 283 diamonds embedded in them.

Blank told The New York Times that he was bothered that Patriots owner Robert Kraft seemingly took a jab at the Falcons by using 283 diamonds in each ring -- reflecting the 28-3 lead Atlanta coughed up last February.

"I said to Robert, 'You didn't have to do the 28-3 in the ring,'" Blank told the Times. "It kind of pissed me off."

The Patriots unveiled the rings last June. At the time, Patriots spokesman Stacey James said the rings each have 283 diamonds "to tell the story of the game."

The number of diamonds was the most used in a Super Bowl ring and more than double what the Patriots had in their rings in 2004 and '05, the team said.