In the rough and tumble world of sports, tattoos have been growing in popularity as fast as they have with acting and music celebrities. During football season, you can easily watch for team logos and mascots along with fraternity brands on the players' arms. Basketball also has a growing inked presence.


Rebel sports celebrities tend to sport more ink than the true mainstream superstars. You can be big in sports and be tattooed, but trends indicate that the majority of really big endorsements go to the guys with a broader, clean-cut image. The one exception to this rule is David Beckham. Now playing for the LA Galaxy in the US, this British soccer superstar has only drawn more adversing interest with his skin art.

Dennis Rodman broke through ink on the basketball courts. Alongside is wild hair and formidable playing style, his expansive tattoo collection drew a lot of media attention for a while and then died down as more and more players on the court got inked. He also took part in PETA's "Think Ink, Not Mink" campaign, posing for a portrait wearing just his tattoos.

Some really beautiful Samoan tattooing can been seen on Dwayne Johnson, known to WWE wrestling fans as the Rock. The large chest piece and half sleeve were done in the traditional style, telling elements of his lifestory, and incorporating designs that represent his family and spirit guardians.

In other hugely popular sports, such as golf and tennis, there haven't been any tattooed superstars who have shown themselves. Then again, who knows what might lurk behind the polo shirt and chinos exterior of a pro-golfer?

To see more celebrity tattoos, you might like

Tattoo Nation: Portraits of Celebrity Body Art by Rolling Stone, David Ritz or you might like

Celebrity Skin: Tattoos, Brands, and Body Adornments of the Stars by Jim Gerard