If you want to know more about Atlanta Falcons players, just look at their arms or their legs. Their inspirations, goals, loves and philosophies are tattooed on their bodies.
For third-year Atlanta Falcons linebacker Mykal Walker tattoos are an art. “I feel the body is a canvas, you put art that means something to you.” Walker said.
Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
“My arm tattoos are for my dad, my mom, my brothers and sisters,” he said. “My legs are about my football journey.” Walker has been getting tattoos since 2015 when he got a hourglass tattoo on his left bicep honoring his father, who died from cancer in 2012. “My dad was a sure thing when he passed away. Time just ran out.”
Walker has several tattoos on his left leg that speak on his football journey, including his college career at Azusa Pacific University and Fresno State in California. The most prominent tattoo on his leg is the NFL logo on his left calf, which recognizes him as a fourth-round draft pick for the Falcons in 2020.
Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
Teammate kicker Younghoe Koo has a more carefree approach to selecting ink. “I decided hey, I want a tattoo, and then it’s like alright what do I want to get,” he said. Koo chose a Siberian tiger because it’s the national animal of South Korea, his birthplace. For another tattoo he chose a word as a goal. “I have Patience on my arm. I always say I have it on me because I don’t have it in me,” he said. “That’s something I want to be better at.”
Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
Falcons cornerback Teez Tabor displays tattoos to illustrate who he is. “It’s just a reminder for what I stand for, what I stand on, what keeps me going and what I’m made up of.” His tattoos range from his expressions of his faith (a large cross with the worlds “In God I Trust) to paying homage to his hometown, Washington, D.C. On his left forearm are tattoos of the U.S. Capitol, the Washington Monument, and words, “DC Made Me.”
Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
He also has numerous tattoos on his arms with readings such as, “Best things in life are free, and Peace & Love.” One tattoo that can’t be seen in uniform is the large “Superman logo” tattoo on his chest.
The Falcons are writing a new chapter as the season begins. Time will tell if it’s reflected on the players.
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