The New England Patriots' draft pick Justin Rohrwasser on Sunday said he would cover up his tattoo tied to a right-leaning organization suspected of being a paramilitary group.
The Patriots picked Rohrwasser in Round 5 of the 2020 NFL Draft this weekend.
It didn't take long for media and fans to flag some of his tattoos and social media activity as problematic, including a tattoo of the logo for Three Percenters, a suspected militia movement and paramilitary group that advocates for limiting the federal government's involvement in local affairs and gun ownership rights.
"I got that tattoo when I was a teenager and I have a lot of family in the military. I thought it stood for a military-support symbol at the time," Rohrwasser said during an introductory conference call with reporters.
"Obviously, it's evolved into something that I do not want to represent. When I look back on it, I should have done way more research before I put any mark or symbol like that on my body, and it's not something I ever want to represent. It will be covered."
The Three Percenters on its website said it is not a militia group.
"We are NOT anti-government," the statement says. "In fact, we are very pro-government, so long as the government abides by the Constitution ... We do not seek to incite a revolution. However, we will defend ourselves when necessary."
Rohrwasser, a former kicker for Marshall, was named Conference USA Special Teams Player of the Year in 2019 after converting 18 of 21 field goals and making 35 of 36 extra-point attempts.
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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