colin kaepernick tattoos

There was a part of him that went into the Saints game thinking, 'My first ever action ever was against you guys in that preseason game, with no (organized team activities), and you blitzed the hell out of me,'" says his older brother, Kyle Kaepernick, "'and I'm going to freaking pay you back, right now.'"

Kyle, 10 years Colin's senior, works along with their father at Hilmar Cheese Company, the dairy plant based a few minutes from where Colin grew up in Turlock, Calif., a two-hour drive east of San Francisco.

Kyle can remember when Colin struggled to find his place on the football field. He remembers when Colin wasn't so cool.
Colin Kaepernick's ink is getting lots of ink. The San Francisco 49ers' star sub's arms and back are covered with tattoos, not an unusual look among athletes. But when you play quarterback and replace a proven winner like Alex Smith for two victories as a starter, your arm gets lots of attention.

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.
We spoke with tat artist Nes Andrion — who’s been working on Colin for years at his shop in Reno where CK played his college ball.

    Andrion tells us … ever since Colin started winning games in November — when starting QB Alex Smith got a concussion — customers have been pouring in, asking for 49ers-themed ink.

    Nes tells us, “People come in and ask if I am the artist that does Colin’s tattoos, and ask when I think I am going to tattoo him again.” 

    Nes adds, “People want to get their tattoos done by the same artist as Colin Kaepernick.”

    It’s pretty hilarious though, considering Nes is a proud Patriots fan — but now that Colin’s winning, he secretly hopes the 49ers can bring home the Lombardi trophy this year.

    “To be honest I want [Colin] to take it even though the Pats are my team. He puts money in my pocket.”