Justin Rohrwasser is trying to make the controversy surrounding him go away as soon as possible.
Rohrwasser, a kicker the Pats took in the fifth round (159th overall) of Saturday’s 2020 NFL Draft, told WBZ-TV in Boston on Monday that the controversial tattoo doesn’t represent who he is and he plans to get it removed. He previously stated that he would get the tattoo covered.
“As soon as I saw what it was linked to on Saturday, it was exactly that time I knew I had to get it totally taken off my body,” Rohrwasser said. “I said cover it up [to reporters], but I want to get it removed from my body. It’s shameful that I had it on there ignorantly.
“It was described to me as the percentage of colonists that rose up against the government of the British,” he added. “I was like, ‘Wow, that is such an American sentiment, a patriotic sentiment.’ Coming from a military family, I thought that really spoke to me. I always was proud to be an American. I’m very proud to be an American.”
Rohrwasser, who spent his first two collegiate seasons at University of Rhode Island, said he never had an issue about it while in college.
“We were celebrating and hugging [on Saturday]. So happy. I went on to Twitter,” he said. “I saw that someone had taken a picture of me and put it with my tattoo and linking me to some horrific events — obviously Charlottesville and these horrible things.”
Click on ‘Follow Us’ and get notified of the most viral NFL stories via Google! Follow Us
“I’m sorry for all my [friends] and family that have to defend me. Putting them in that compromising position is one of the biggest regrets I’ll ever have. To them, I’m sorry,” the Clifton Park, New York native said. “I’m going to learn from this. I’m going to take ownership of it. This is not who I am. No matter what, that’s not who I am. Hopefully, you will all find that out.”
Rohrwasser was named Conference USA Special Teams Player of the Year in 2019 after converting 18 of 21 field goals, with a long of 53 yards, while going 35-of-36 on extra points.
