SF QB Colin Kaepernick Ink Explained

The dude who’s done over 90% of San Francisco 49er quarterback, Colin Kaepernick’s tattoos, is speaking out about the meaning behind the popular QB’s body art.

Both of Kaepernick’s arms are tapestries of tattoos, displaying psalms and other phrases. The QB’s tattoo artist, Nes Andrion of Reno, Nev., told The Huffington Post that the inside of one of Kaepernick’s biceps reads, “My Gift,” and the inside of the other reads, “Is My Curse.” The top of his right bicep features the word “FAITH.”

Andrion, the owner of tattoo shop Endless Ink in Reno, estimated he’s done “93 percent” of the player’s tattoos, over nine sessions in Reno and Las Vegas while Kaepernick was playing for the University of Nevada. He said Kaepernick liked the depiction of opposing forces, such as good and bad and Heaven and Hell. Thus, the tattoos on Kaepernick’s back — more a skin mural, really — have an angels and demons motif, according to the artist. “When I put my touch to that tattoo, it’s not just a tattoo cause I’m getting paid for it,” Andrion said. “It’s got meaning.”

The psalms tattooed on Kaepernick’s arms address his competitive instinct, according to Sports Illustrated. Psalm 27:3, on one arm, reads: “Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear though war break out against me, even then I will be confident.”

Psalm 18:39, on the other arm, says:, “You armed me with strength for battle; you humbled my adversaries before me.” source

If you don’t like all these tattoos, consider that it could’ve been a hell of a lot worse, example,