Tattoos are the ultimate form of self-expression and the same is true with sports tattoos. While most people are a little more hesitant to get sports tattoos, it’s a no-brainer for anyone that’s a die-hard fan of a certain sport, franchise, or even a player – if you’re feeling a little extra perilous.
Getting a tattoo can be scary, especially considering how permanent it is, but it can also be exhilarating – whether it’s your first tattoo or your 20th tattoo. At the end of the day, you just want your tattoo to look good and come out perfect – so let’s hope you have a talented tattoo artist!
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The Best Sports Tattoos Will Blow You Away!
Sports tattoos have always been popular among fans and players, but they’re not revered by everyone. In fact, the General Administration of Sport of China just banned all national football players from showing their tattoos while playing. If they already have one, they must cover it up.
Don’t worry, we’re not here to ban anyone from getting a tattoo – especially if you’re considering showing off any sports tattoos. We love seeing fans and players express themselves in unique and interesting ways, which is why we’re going to look at some of our favorite sports tattoos.
Let’s get started!
20. Logo & Skyline Combined
This is a great idea for anyone that wants to pay homage to their favorite sports team and the city they represent. This fan got a tattoo of the Philadelphia Flyers’ logo, but inside the logo you’ll see the Philadelphia skyline. Surprisingly enough, it all looks uniform and fits into the logo nicely.
The cool thing is you can do this with just about any sports team, so long as you have a creative tattoo artist that can make it happen. Needless to say, this artist did a great job and I’m sure the fan is ecstatic to have it on their arm for the rest of their life. I might have to get myself one!
19. Boxing’s GOAT – Signed, Sealed, & Delivered
Muhammad Ali isn’t just one of the greatest boxers of all-time, he’s one of the most influential people to ever walk this planet. He never shied away from being himself and wasn’t afraid to speak up for what’s right. When he spoke, people listened. When he moved, people watched.
His greatness didn’t go unnoticed. In fact, this tattoo is found on the chest of Sean Combs – known by many as Puff Daddy or Diddy. It’s simple, but a great way to pay respect. You can do this with your favorite athlete, just have your artist copy their signature wherever you want it.
18. Unique Rendition of the Raiders
The Las Vegas Raiders, who previously played in Los Angeles and Oakland, have one of the most recognizable sports logos in the entire world. The black and grey is synonymous with Raider Nation and isn’t used by a lot of professional sports teams – LA Kings are another one.
This artist wanted to give his father a cool Raiders’ tattoo, but didn’t want it to be the original logo. Instead, they did a modern version of the logo – keeping the shield and swords in the background, but swapping out the old football player with an intimidating one. It’s more fitting.
17. Logo on the Neck – Twice!
You don’t have to play in the major leagues to sport the Major League Baseball logo on your body, but it makes sense. Apparently these two players are very proud of their making it to the big leagues, enough to get the logo tattooed on their neck – one on the back and one on the side.
The two players in question are Javier Baez of the Detroit Tigers and Wander Franco for the Tampa Bay Rays. It makes you wonder how many other players in the MLB have a logo tattoo somewhere on their body. If you don’t root for any one team in particular, you can have one too!
16. Odell Beckham Jr. vs. Brandon Carr
It’s a play that could go down as one of the greatest catches in NFL history. It was November 24, 2014 when the New York Giants hosted the Dallas Cowboys for some Sunday Night Football action. It didn’t take long for Odell Beckham Jr. to mark his territory in that game.
Lined up against cornerback Brandon Carr, the two were battling through a route that saw OBJ targeted in the end zone. It wasn’t the best ball placement, but OBJ did the only thing he knew to do – make a spectacular catch. This tattoo captures that moment for what it was – greatness.
15. Ellington’s Tribute to the GOAT
It’s always nice to see one NBA player salute another NBA player, especially when it’s a player like Wayne Ellington tipping his hat to one of the greatest of all-time – Kobe Bryant. The tattoo is of Kobe’s logo, but inside the logo is a realistic rendition of Kobe’s face. It’s on Ellington’s knee.
The basketball community saw Kobe’s life end far too soon when he was involved in a helicopter crash on January 26, 2020. The community was saddened, but it’s moments like these that we can sit back and reminisce about the amazing career and even better life he lived.
14. Eagles Win Super Bowl LII
When your favorite team wins the Super Bowl, there’s only one thing to do – get a tattoo to celebrate! This is especially true if your team just won their first ever Super Bowl, like the Philadelphia Eagles did in 2018. They upset the New England Patriots 41-33 in a nail-biter.
Super Bowl LII was one to remember for Philly fans. Up to that point, the Eagles had made two Super Bowl appearances, losing to the Raiders in 1980 and the Patriots in 2004. They got their revenge during the 2017 season and now have one Super Bowl and the NFL Championships.
13. Bailey, the Mascot!
Let’s be honest, mascots don’t receive enough credit for what they do – especially in the NHL. In fact, many sports fans are likely surprised to learn that NHL teams have mascots, since they’re rarely given any air time. Well, this fan wanted to pay tribute to their favorite mascot.
Bailey is the Los Angeles Kings’ mascot. He’s a six-foot lion that wears No. 72, which is the average temperature in Los Angeles. He’s a joy to be around and loves to put smiles on the faces of Kings’ fans every home game – enough that this fan got a tattoo of him on their arm!
12. It’s Artistic & Functional
Okay, let’s take a break from the major professional sports for a second because this tattoo might be legendary. Anyone who goes fishing for sport knows how frustrating it is when you can’t find your ruler. Whenever you need it, it never seems to be right in front of you.
That’s why this fisherman decided to put his ruler on his body in the form of a tattoo. Every single time he catches a good one, all he needs to do is hold the fish up to his leg and he’ll know how big it is. It’s quick, it’s convenient, and let’s be real – you’re thinking of doing the same thing!
11. It’s That Mamba Mentality
Some people remember the #8 Kobe Bryant, while others remember the #24 Kobe Bryant, but they both embodied what Mamba Mentality is. That’s why if you’re going to pay homage to Kobe with a tattoo, you better include both versions of the greatest basketball player of all-time.
This is a cool tattoo. It’s realistic, it has both #24 and #8, it has the Los Angeles Lakers’ logo, and it’s in black and white. It has everything you could need in a Kobe Bryant tattoo and is one you’ll definitely want to show off more often than not. I’m sure that’s what this person is doing!
10. A Debut to Remember Forever
Paulo Orlando played 278 games with the Kansas City Royals from 2015-2018, but there’s one game that meant more to him than any other – his first ever game in the big leagues. It occurred on April 9, 2015 at the age of 29. He played the White Sox and finished the game with one hit.
That game meant so much to him that he got a huge tattoo to commemorate the moment on his back. It shows him hitting the ball with ‘MLB’ in big letters to the left. Underneath that is the date of his debut. He last played in the MLB in 2018 and currently plays professional ball in Brazil.
9. Just a GOAT With His Celly
Alex Ovechkin is one of the greatest hockey players of all-time, so it’s no surprise that some hockey fans feel it’s necessary to pay homage to him via a tattoo. With that said, this tattoo is amazing and captures Ovechkin in a moment we’ve witnessed more than once in his career.
Ovechkin’s goal celebrations are always a joy to witness. Anyone who’s a fan of the NHL has seen it happen 754 times since he joined the league in 2005. That’s a lot of goals and a lot of celebrations. Better yet, that number continues to increase as he has 24 goals this season.
8. A Tribute to the Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are one of the most storied NFL franchises, having been in the league since 1970. They were originally the Dallas Texans of the AFL in 1960, but relocated to the city they call home in 1963. They’ve won three AFL Championships and two Super Bowls.
Their most recent Super Bowl came in 2019 when Andy Reid led his dominant team to the ultimate prize for the first time in 50 years. This tattoo highlights Reid, but also shows Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce next to each other with Len Dawson off in the distance.
7. A Tribute to Jackie Robinson
Jackie Robinson will forever be remembered for helping to break the color barrier – not just in the MLB or in professional sports, but in society as a whole. He was the first African American to play in the MLB back in 1947 – he was a first baseman for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Robinson spent 10 years in the major leagues and accomplished a lot – he won the inaugural Rookie of the Year award, was a six-time All-Star, was MVP in 1949, made six World Series appearances, and even won a World Series. He’s definitely worthy of a realistic tattoo!
6. Warren Sapp & His Retired No. 99 Jersey
Warren Sapp is one of the most intimidating and dominant defensive tackles to ever play the game. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with the 12th overall pick in 1995 and spent his first nine seasons with the team. He finished his career with the Oakland Raiders.
Over his career, he recorded 96.5 sacks, 19 forced fumbles, 12 fumble recoveries, 4 interceptions, and one defensive touchdown. He was a seven-time Pro Bowler, four-time All-Pro, one-time Super Bowl champion, and one-time Defensive Player of the Year.
5. Dallas Braden: The Perfect Storm
Imagine pitching the 19th perfect game in Major League Baseball history – that has to be quite the accomplishment, right? Well, that’s exactly what Dallas Braden did in 2010. What’s even more incredible is that he admitted to being hungover during that performance – incredible!
The perfect game led to him being on the cover of Sports Illustrated that same year – the headline read ‘Perfect Storm: Why you couldn’t script a better story than Dallas Braden’s Mother’s Day masterpiece.’ One fan, shown above, turned that memory into a tattoo!
4. Kobe Was One-of-a-Kind
We’ve already talked about two Kobe Bryant sports tattoos, so a third one won’t hurt. After all, he is one of the greatest basketball players of all-time and recently passed too soon. And quite honestly, nothing captures the LA-Kobe connection better than this tattoo right here.
It features him in a Lakers’ jersey, the ‘City of Angels’ nickname for LA, a personal photo of Kobe, and even a backdrop of that famous LA vibe. Whoever the artist is for this tattoo should be proud and whoever’s arm it is should be honored. What a great way to pay homage!
3. Wade Wears His Career On His Sleeve
Dwyane Wade had an illustrious career with the Miami Heat and even had some bright moments later in his career with the Chicago Bulls and Cleveland Cavaliers. As a tribute to himself, he got this tattoo on his arm and it features all of his biggest NBA accomplishments.
Wade was a 13-time All-Star, one-time scoring champ, three-time NBA champ, eight-time All-NBA player, three-time All-Defensive player, one-time All-Rookie player, 2006 Finals MVP, and 2010 All-Star MVP. That’s a lot of hardware and he showcased all of it in the best way.
2. Mario Chalmers With the W
Speaking of the Miami Heat, let’s not forget about Mario Chalmers – he was the point guard for the Heat’s back-to-back championship runs in 2012 and 2013. He spent his first seven seasons with the team before being traded to the Memphis Grizzlies during his eighth season in town.
Having the name Mario comes with a lot of attention – largely due to the Super Mario video game series. So, what does Chalmers do to pay tribute? He gets a tattoo of Super Mario holding a basketball on his arm. It’s fitting, it’s funny, and it matches Chalmers’ laid back personality.
1. A Realistic Gretzky Tattoo
Many people try to debate who the greatest hockey player of all-time is, but let’s be honest – there’s nothing to debate. Wayne Gretzky did things on the ice that we may never see again. He holds records that’ll never be touched and there’s a reason he’s considered the bonafide GOAT.
With that said, you have to make sure that you go all-out if you plan on getting a Gretzky tattoo and that’s exactly what this fan did. I’ve never seen a tattoo look so realistic before. The colors, the shading, the detail, the texture, everything is done to perfection – so kudos to this artist!
Do You Have Any Unique or Interesting Sports Tattoos?
Sports tattoos are always a hit or miss. Some of them are mind blowing and act as a great conversation starter. Others will make you think, “What in the world was that person thinking?” With that being said, as long as you’re happy with it, no one else’s opinion matters, does it?
If you took the time to browse through the sports tattoos above, then you’ve got some amazing ideas when thinking of getting one yourself. You can go with the realistic tribute, you can get the player’s signature, your favorite team’s logo, or even a specific moment or play that you love.
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Do you have any unique or interesting sports tattoos that you want to show off to the world? We know you’re out there somewhere and we want to see them! Feel free to share them with us and, who knows, they might be featured on our next list of the best sports tattoos of all-time!
20 Sports Tattoo Fails That Will Make You Laugh
We all know that tattoos are permanent and we all understand the amount of pressure involved in getting a tattoo, but that didn’t seem to stop some fans from getting some of the most hilarious, cringe-worthy sports tattoo fails of all-time. Now, they have to live with it their entire life!
Some of those fans thought they were being creative when getting their tattoo, but weren’t too thrilled with the end result. Some of them chose to accept the tattoo for what it is and are proud of their terrible tattoo. Of course, other fans lost a bet and now have to wear their punishment.
It doesn’t matter what the reasoning is behind some of the worst sports tattoo fails of all-time, there’s no recovering from the ink that’s now permanently on your skin. Sure, there might be ways you can remove it in the future, but it’s not an enjoyable process and is highly expensive.
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Sports Tattoo Fails You Won’t Believe Are Real
If we’re going to rank out the worst sports tattoo fails of all-time, we can’t focus on any one sport in particular. We have to consider fans of any sport, no matter what team they root for, who their favorite player is, or how bad their tattoo really is. Nothing is off limits and everything is game.
What we love most about these sports tattoo fails is that they’re all bad for different reasons. Some are horribly drawn, some are horribly thought-out, some are in odd or awkward places, some are factually incorrect, and some are just flat-out embarrassing – they’re each unique!
With that said, you’re likely eager to see some of these sports tattoo fails – that way, you can judge them for yourself. Don’t worry, there are plenty of sports tattoo fails to go over and we’re going to break down 20 of our favorite sports tattoo fails we’ve come across on the internet.
20. I’m A nEw EnGlAnD PaTrIoTs FaN
From 1972-1992, the New England Patriots sported their vintage logo that featured a patriot in full uniform (blue coat, white pants, red hat, and red socks) getting ready to snap the ball. I would say you can use the tattoo above as a reference, but let’s just say it’s not drawn that well.
Compared to the real logo, this tattoo got the color and overall idea right, but the detail is just horrendous. And don’t even get me started on the face. I mean, that’s just straight-up bad.
19. Go To Hell Ole Miss! Hail State!
Anyone who lives in the state of Mississippi is well aware of the college football rivalry between the Mississippi State Bulldogs and Ole Miss Rebels. They first played each other in 1901 and have played in the Egg Bowl 115 times with the winner taking home the Golden Egg Trophy.
Ole Miss currently leads the long-term series 64-45-6, which probably doesn’t make this fan too happy. As you can see, he doesn’t seem to be a fan of Ole Miss and would rather them go to hell.
18. Eli Manning On My Arse
Of all the places you can get a tattoo, your buttocks is one that I will never understand. Even more than that, I will never understand getting a realistic tattoo of a person – let alone an athlete – on your body. Yes, that includes getting a tattoo of Eli Manning and his signature on your butt.
The good news is the tattoo came out fantastic – it looks realistic, the signature is identical to his real one, and you can tell someone talented tattooed it. Other than that, it’s a horrible tattoo for many reasons.
17. Another Hardcore Patriots’ Fan
There’s something about Patriots’ fans that will always catch you by surprise. New England has been one of the best teams in the league for the past two decades, but their fans can be quite an odd bunch – including this guy that showed off his colorful Patriots’ head tattoo in his mugshot.
It features ‘Riddell’ on his forehead, the Patriots’ logo on the side of his head, the NFL logo behind his ear, and who knows what else. Who needs hair when you have the Patriots’ logo?
16. Jaguars, Eagles, Same Thing!
Imagine getting a tattoo on your body stating that the Jacksonville Jaguars will win Super Bowl LII, just to have the Jaguars lose to the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship game. Not only that, but the Jaguars haven’t been to the playoffs since and have gone 12-37 since.
Super Bowl LII occurred at the end of the 2017 season and was played between the Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles upset the Patriots, despite rolling with their backup quarterback.
15. Tom Brady In All the Wrong Places
If you’re getting sick of seeing Patriots’ fans with sports tattoo fails, we apologize in advance because we have one more. This Tom Brady fan could’ve gotten this tattoo anywhere on his body, but ultimately chose to get it on the inside of his bottom lip – yeah, you heard that right.
Not only that, but there’s no creativity to the tattoo. It’s just ‘Tom Brady’ written in a teenager’s handwriting. You have to wonder how he feels about the tattoo today, over six years later.
14. Great Artistry, But Awkward Choice
I’ve already shared my thoughts about getting realistic tattoos of athletes, so it’s no surprise seeing this one on our list of sports tattoo fails. Don’t get me wrong, the tattoo is drawn to perfection and the shading is on-point, but is that really the tattoo you want on your arm?
I mean, do you really like Chipper Jones that much? To the point where you want his face and signature permanently drawn on your upper arm? If so, then do you, but that’s well beyond me.
13. When You Love Tony Romo Too Much
It’s okay to have a favorite athlete and there’s nothing wrong with getting a tattoo, but something makes me cringe everytime I see those two worlds collide – especially when it’s a Dallas Cowboys’ fan. At least this fan didn’t get Tony Romo’s face on his arm, but this is still bad.
First off, the font is just horrendous and you almost can’t make out the name. Secondly, the tattoo is huge and takes up the entire upper arm – obnoxious much? Either way, I don’t like it.
12. Who Dare to Wake Me?
I’m sure there are some people out there that like the movie Kazaam, but let’s be honest with ourselves – it wasn’t that good and certainly wasn’t worthy of a tattoo. The only reason any of us even know of that movie (or saw it) is because it features the one and only Shaquille O’Neal.
Why you would want this on your body is beyond me, but to each their own. I can only hope that you have a formidable reason for getting it, but at the same time that’s highly unlikely, isn’t it?
11. An Interesting Take On the Steelers’ Logo
The Pittsburgh Steelers don’t have a hard logo to portray. It’s just three colored hypocycloids (yellow, red, and blue) and the word ‘Steelers’ inside a circle. Anyone can draw it and it’ll come out nice if you take your time. Unfortunately, the artist behind this tattoo didn’t take their time.
In fact, this tattoo butchered the Steelers’ logo and it doesn’t even look like the real logo. It has random elements that don’t make sense and doesn’t even feature any blue or red hypocycloids.
10. Close, But No Cigar
The Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Golden State Warriors in the 2016 NBA Finals to win their first championship in franchise history. That same year, the Cleveland Indians made it to the World Series and were searching for their third championship in franchise history. It was a good year.
Unfortunately, this fan got this tattoo a little too early. The Indians ended up losing to the Chicago Cubs in Game 7 of the World Series – making this tattoo only 50% right. Close, but no cigar.
9. The Mets Lost the World Series 4-1
Speaking of premature World Series sports tattoo fails, this fan likely wishes they could have a mulligan on this decision. The New York Mets made it to the World Series in 2015 and were searching for their third championship in franchise history – something this fan would’ve loved.
Unfortunately, the New York Mets lost the World Series to the Kansas City Royals in just five games. That’s right, they only won one game in the series and now this fan has to live with his embarrassing tattoo.
8. Tramp Stamp? No, It’s a Bengal Stamp!
We all know what a tramp stamp is and most of us have the same thought every time we see one – “Why?” It’s just such an awkward place for a tattoo and there’s nothing you can get to make it look decent. No matter what you decide to go with, it’s going to look very ridiculous.
Things are no different with this tattoo and it’s not just the location that’s weird. The entire tattoo is weird and it doesn’t quite do the Bengals’ logo justice – which is why it’s one of our sports tattoo fails.
7. Manchester UniteHead Tattoo
I’m a firm believer that any tattoo on the head is a big no-no – whether it’s gang tattoos, a spider around your eye, or the Manchester United logo on your forehead. It’s the first thing everyone is going to see when they look at you. I mean, if that’s what you’re going for, then do you.
At the same time, I’m allowed to have an opinion and let’s not run away from it – this tattoo is a total cringe moment. Not only that, but he legally changed his name to Mr Man U – yikes!
6. Best Team of Nederland
Some people get their favorite team’s logo on their body. Some people get their favorite athlete’s name on their body. This person? Well, they decided they wanted the best of both worlds and got the entire roster of their favorite team on their back. Now that’s taking it to another level.
Not only that, but the roster is spread out on a soccer field according to the player’s position. At least the Dutch soccer team doesn’t have to wonder if he’s a fan or not – the proof is written on his skin!
5. The NFL Fight Heard Around the World
On November 14, 2019, the Cleveland Browns hosted the Pittsburgh Steelers in a Week 11 matchup. With just 10 seconds left and the Browns up 21-7, a fight broke out between Myles Garrett and Mason Rudolph. Garrett went on to hit Rudolph in the head with his helmet.
It was a fight that caused the entire NFL to stop in their tracks and was one of the most egregious things we’ve ever witnessed in a football game. And it’s all depicted in this tattoo.
4. It’s Tebow Time in Denver!
Let’s be honest, Tim Tebow never really amounted to the type of NFL quarterback we all expected out of him. He saw a little success in Denver, but that was more due to the players he had around him – not so much his performance – and it certainly wasn’t worthy of a tattoo.
All that aside, let’s not overlook how creepy this tattoo is. The half-bronco, half-human creature wearing a Broncos’ helmet just doesn’t cut it for me. And ‘Tebow Time?’ Well, that never materialized.
3. Boston Teams All in One Tattoo
The Boston Celtics, New England Patriots, and Boston Red Sox are some of the most valuable and successful franchises in their respective sports. It’s what makes the Boston area so rich and historic in the sports community and why so many fans root for these teams each year.
This person is one of those fans that root for all three and while they wanted to get a tattoo to commemorate their favorite teams, they completely missed the mark and it turned out horrible.
2. What’s So Hard About the Steelers’ Logo?
We’ve already had one botched Steelers’ logo featured in our list of sports tattoo fails, but we’re not done with them quite yet. We have another botched Steelers’ logo and it begs the question – what’s so hard about drawing the Steelers’ logo? It’s one of the more basic logos in the NFL.
The good news is this person’s tattoo artist at least got the layout and design of the logo correct. The problem is the tattoo looks like a kindergartener drew it and likely isn’t worth what it cost.
1. Richard Jefferson Look-a-Like
Richard Jefferson is well-known for having some of the worst sports tattoos and it looks like this fan wanted to join in on the fun. Unfortunately, he now owns one of the worst sports tattoo fails of all-time. It’s funny for a little while, until you realize it’s now permanently drawn on your skin.
This fan also has to explain what the tattoo is and why he got it every single time someone asks what ‘RJ’ stands for. That’s a conversation that will likely get old and annoying after a while.
Sports Tattoo Fails Are Cringe-Worthy Beyond Belief
Getting a tattoo is a huge step for any adult. It’s not cheap by any means, it’s permanent, and it becomes a representation of who you are. With that said, it’s very easy for things to go south when getting a tattoo and the sports tattoo fails we highlighted above are the perfect evidence.
If you plan on getting a tattoo, make sure you’re 100% certain that it’s what you want – not just what you want right now, but what you’ll be proud of in the future. And if you don’t feel comfortable making a bet that involves getting a tattoo if you lose, then don’t make the bet.
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At the end of the day, it’s your body and you’re free to do what you want with it. Just keep in mind that if you end up getting a ridiculous sports tattoo like the ones we listed above, then you very well could find yourself on our next list of the worst sports tattoo fails of all-time.
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