New Patriots Kicker Is Removing His Tattoo, But There Are Still So Many Questions

Justin Rohrwasser, the kicker out of Marshall who was drafted by the New England Patriots final week, advised Boston’s WBZ-TV that he won’t solely cowl up however take away a tattoo on his arm of the roman numeral III – which is related to the far-right militia group “The Three Percenters.”

Rohrwasser says he acquired the tattoo when he was 18 years outdated. He is now 23, that means he is had the factor for 5 years with out, in keeping with him, understanding what it meant. Rohrwasser has maintained he thought it was an emblem of patriotism, not understanding the hyperlink to The Three Percenters group.

“As quickly as I noticed what it was linked to on Saturday, it was precisely that point I knew I needed to get it completely taken off my physique,” Rohrwasser mentioned. “I mentioned cowl it up [to reporters], however I need to get it faraway from my physique. It is shameful that I had it on there ignorantly.”

Nonetheless, I’ve questions:

How did nobody inform him what his tattoo meant?

Inside about three minutes of the Patriots drafting Rohrwasser, web customers had A) discovered images of his tattoos, B) recognized the one in query as an emblem of the Three Percenters, and C) shared it extensively across the web.

I am not saying that everybody in Rohrwasser’s circle ought to have a working information of the Three Percenters (I actually wasn’t particularly conscious of the group), however after FIVE years, I discover it extremely laborious to consider that nobody Rohrwasser interacts with would have any thought what which means, and nobody ever apprised him of it. That is … that is actually laborious to consider.

How did he not know himself?

Additionally laborious to consider: Getting an enormous tattoo in your arm with solely a small, mistaken understanding of what that image means. I do know not everybody places in a ton of analysis into each tattoo he/she will get, but in addition, you want a fairly wholesome prepared suspension of disbelief to think about he acquired this tattoo with out understanding what it meant.

How did the Patriots not see this coming?

The Patriots noticed movie on this man. They presumably noticed images. With the in depth analysis that groups do on their prospects (groups have famously dug into gamers’ household historical past to attempt to perceive in the event that they have been “introduced up proper” or no matter), we’re saying that nobody thought to ask in regards to the tattoos on his arm, and what they meant? It is doable, positive, however once more, questions are including up right here.

How did an agent or advisor not see this coming?

Prospects are being explicitly told by the NFL now to scrub their social media history to keep away from answering for issues they may have mentioned prior to now. Did Rohrwasser’s agent, an advisor, anybody suppose to not solely try this, but in addition possibly get out in entrance of the tattoo on his arm that is linked to a far-right militia group?

Can the Patriots faux this is not a factor?

This might be attention-grabbing to observe going ahead. For a league that famously hates “distractions,” will the Patriots be prepared to maneuver ahead and take care of the repeated questions on Rohrwasser’s politics? Will Boston media simply neglect about it? Is all this price it for a kicker?

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