The New England Patriots selected kicker Justin Rohrwasser in the fifth round of Saturday’s NFL Draft, and they probably did not realize the kicker’s tattoo would become a national story.
Rohrwasser, who kicked at Rhode Island and then Marshall, has numerous tattoos. One tattoo on his left forearm features a “III” symbol, which represents a group call the “Three Percenters”.
Justin Rohrwasser had the Three Percenters tattoo as early as 2015, which was still seven years after the Three Percenters’ formation. The symbol didn’t just “change” in recent years. pic.twitter.com/oFh0iqFWHn
— Andrew Joseph (@AndyJ0seph) April 25, 2020
The Three Percenters support gun rights and have been categorized by some as a militia and anti-government, though they dispute those characterizations on their website.
Rohrwasser was asked by reporters about the tattoo and gave his explanation.
“I got that tattoo when I was a teenager,” Rohrwasser said. “I had a lot of family in the military, and I thought it stood for a military support symbol at the time. Obviously, it evolved into something that I did not want to represent. When I look back on it, I should have done way more research before I put any mark or symbol like that on my body. It’s not something I want to represent. So, it will be covered.”
It’s hard to believe Rohrwasser could have gone this long not realizing what the tattoo represented. He has other tattoos on his arms, including an American flag and one that says “Liberty or Death.”
