NIL

Athletes Getting $50,000 Tattoos

Published

5 months ago

August 1, 2025

Justin Simmons has a high pain tolerance. With nine seasons in the NFL as a safety, he’s used to tackling 250-pound running backs and pushing through grueling recovery regimens. But when he got his latest tattoo, a densely detailed leg sleeve stretching from his left knee to upper thigh, he didn’t grit through days of sessions laid up in a studio or the sting of needles piercing raw skin. Instead, he went under anesthesia and woke up several hours later fully inked.

Sedation-assisted tattoo sessions are a growing trend among elite athletes and celebrities who want large-scale ink without the time commitment or pain. Simmons was tattooed by a team of artists from Lakimii Tattoo, a boutique Los Angeles tattoo studio specializing in high-end body art completed in a clinical setting. “I remember them saying, ‘We’re about to put you under, count back from ten,’ and I got to eight,” he tells Front Office Sports. “Next thing I knew, my brother was waking me up.”

While Simmons has also gotten arm and leg sleeves the traditional way, he says the single-session sedation method had distinct advantages: faster recovery time and no lingering swelling to interfere with his training.

“It was by far the best decision I’ve made in terms of making a tattoo super accessible,” he says.

Accessible in terms of the experience, at least; price-wise, Lakimii Tattoo bookings start at $30,000 a piece, and can climb depending on the scale and complexity of the design, the number of artists involved, and the hours of anesthesia required. That fee covers everything: the surgical space; a licensed anesthesiologist and nurse; medications; and the work of as many as five tattoo artists, who complete in one day what might otherwise take weeks.

“It’s not that [athletes] can’t handle the pain—they’re pros,” says Lakimii Tattoo cofounder Timo Schuldt, whose client list also includes Steelers cornerback Jalen Ramsey, Sacramento Kings guard Dennis Schröder, and Raptors forward Brandon Ingram. “But they don’t have time to come back and forth for ten single sessions.”

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Athletes have long used tattoos to showcase their identities, honor their roots, and celebrate their careers. Today, you’d be hard-pressed to watch a pro sports game for long without catching a glimpse of an inked bicep or a chest piece peeking out from under a jersey. Even face tattoos have become a fairly common sight: The Knicks’ Jordan Clarkson has an ambigram of the words “love” and “pain” on his temple, and Bills cornerback Christian Benford has a broken heart adorning his right cheek.

As the art form moves from subculture to center stage, especially in pro sports, the expectations around the experience are changing, too. Tattoos today are a professional asset, woven into athletes’ public personas, brand deals, and video game avatars. Some high-end tattoo artists now operate more like branding collaborators than anonymous technicians in a backroom studio. They’re flown across the country, asked to interpret deeply personal symbolism, and trusted with a highly visible—and permanent—part of a player’s image.

NBA point guard LaMelo Ball, for instance, has covered much of his body with tattoos that reflect the themes of his fashion label, LaFrancé—including UFOs and alien motifs that have appeared on both his hoodies and his skin.

To meet the demand from time-strapped stars like Ball, tattoo studios have evolved accordingly—opting for team-based, multi-artist sessions to produce large-scale work quickly without compromising detail. “What Melo got done in three days takes some people years to get,” artist Herchell Carrasco told Complex.

Carrasco led the six-artist team behind Ball’s $20,000 back piece, completed over three six-hour days. Ball didn’t use sedation but relied on lidocaine numbing cream. “He wanted a lot more than this, and I really had to tell him like, ‘Hey Melo, this is really the max that we can do.’”

These methods have their critics. For one, some veteran tattoo artists argue bypassing the traditional process undermines the intimacy and trust built over the course of multi-session projects. Others lament the loss of what was once a central element of the tattooing experience. It may sound masochistic, but for many, the pain is part of the point.

Michael Zuratti, cofounder of Sedation Ink, a Florida-based provider of anesthesia-assisted tattoos, has heard the critiques. “All those people online that are like, ‘Oh, you’ve gotta enjoy the pain,’ … listen, you’ve got some issues you’ve gotta address,” he tells FOS, only half-joking.

Simmons isn’t interested in gatekeeping the experience. “To each their own,” he says. “I get that some people like the process of sitting for a tattoo, and I also know that going under is a luxury not everyone can afford. But after doing the bottom half of my leg [without sedation], I was like, ‘I’m not doing that again if I can help it.’”

Safety is another concern—particularly when general anesthesia is involved. According to the Mayo Clinic, side effects of anesthesia can include nausea, memory loss, or, in extremely rare cases, cardiac arrest. In 2023, Brazilian influencer Ricardo Godoi died when he went into cardiac arrest after being put under for a sedated tattoo session in the country’s Santa Catarina state. While details remain unclear, the incident sparked concern over the lack of regulation in some regions.

Noel Pace, Sedation Ink’s health-care attorney and a former Army combat medic, says that’s why the business follows strict clinical protocols: “This is not a surgery, but we treat it with the same standards of safety and care.” Before every procedure, clients undergo medical evaluations, submit bloodwork, and are screened for contraindications. On the day of, the doctor—not the tattoo artist—runs the show.

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The added oversight doesn’t come cheap, with prices ranging from $30,000 for a neck tattoo to $50,000 for a full back piece. But to Pace, it’s a necessary safeguard. “You’re not in a strip mall. You’re in a medical facility,” he says. “Cleanliness, disease protocols—all of those things are top of mind, especially for someone whose body is their livelihood.”

“It is serious,” says Zuratti of the general anesthesia process. “But tens of thousands of procedures are being done every day across the world. The ones that go well don’t get advertised.” His team recently canceled a session when a client tested positive for pregnancy on the day of the procedure. “The doctor was not entertaining that conversation,” he recalls. “It was over.”

Schuldt says Lakimii’s sessions are run in surgical suites normally reserved for cosmetic procedures like Brazilian butt lifts and tummy tucks. “It’s a luxury service,” he says. “You’re not just paying for a tattoo. You’re paying for the doctor and the whole setup.”

Still, the logistics of putting multiple tattoo artists, a physician, a nurse, and a high-profile client in a single operating room aren’t simple. At Sedation Ink, Zuratti says the procedure is more like a coordinated medical operation than a trip to the tattoo parlor.

At any given session, there may be five or more artists working simultaneously on a single client—each focused on a different body part, while navigating surgical protocols, sterile conditions, and a firm time limit. In Florida, where Sedation Ink is based, clients can be under general anesthesia for a maximum of eight hours. Most sessions run between five and seven.

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, meanwhile, spent 11 hours sedated for a leg sleeve in 2023 that includes tributes to his late mother and brother, as well as sports icons like Kobe Bryant and Muhammad Ali. He went to Andres Ortega of Phoenix-based Onder Ink on the recommendation of receiver CeeDee Lamb, and later referred then-teammate Tony Pollard to the same studio.

“When Dak did it, that was my green light,” Pollard told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “If Dak is cool with it. He makes good decisions.”

As for Simmons, he’s not in a rush to go back under. But if the right idea comes along? “If I ever wanted another big piece,” he says, “I’d absolutely do it again.”

NIL

Former Auburn WR Cam Coleman commits to Texas

Published

26 minutes ago

January 12, 2026

Your Sports Nation

Former Auburn wide receiver Cam Coleman committed to Texas out of the NCAA transfer portal, he announced via Instagram on Sunday. The Longhorns were one of three visits by the wideout.

Coleman had a large role for the Tigers’ offense over the last two years. In 2025, Coleman had 56 catches for 708 yards, five touchdowns and 12.6 yards per catch. In two seasons, Coleman has 93 catches for 1,306 yards, 13 touchdowns and 14 yards per catch.

Coleman came to Auburn as one of the program’s highest-rated recruits in recent history. Largely, he lived up to that billing as across two seasons, he hauled in 84 passes for 1,215 yards and 12 touchdowns.

As a high school prospect, Coleman was a Five-Star Plus+ recruit in the 2024 class. According to the Rivals Industry Ranking, an equally weighted average that utilizes all three major recruiting services, he was the nation’s No. 4 overall prospect and No. 2 wide receiver.

He signed with the Tigers over offers from Clemson, Texas A&M, Alabama, LSU and dozens of other major programs. Coleman was committed to the Aggies for nearly five months before they fired head coach Jimbo Fisher, and as a result, Coleman’s future position coach Dameyune Craig. He flipped his pledge from A&M to Auburn on December 1, 2023 — marking a massive recruiting win for Hugh Freeze.

To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire. The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.

Texas is coming off a season where they just missed out on the College Football Playoff. The Longhorns finished 10-3 by beating Michigan 41-27 in the Citrus Bowl.

Led by QB Arch Manning’s second half of the season development, Texas got on a hot streak. That included a win over 11-0 Texas A&M to end the season. Coleman adds to a dynamic offensive approach under Steve Sarkisian next fall.

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Latest Georgia transfer rumors could lead to another Carson Beck level disaster

Published

1 hour ago

January 12, 2026

Your Sports Nation

Georgia football suffered arguably the biggest loss in the Transfer Portal last offseason. Former UGA quarterback Carson Beck made the shocking decision this time last year to transfer to Miami, and that was something that no one saw coming.

Georgia ended up being fine without him as they went on to win the SEC, but losing Beck at the time was not fun.

Fast forward to this offseason and rumors are beginning to swirl of another departure that would be just as shocking and impactful as Beck.

Nate Frazier rumors are the last thing Georgia needs

One of Georgia’s best players this season was running back Nate Frazier. There were countless games where he put the team on his back and helped carry them to victory, and his success this past season has led to everyone at Georgia being excited for what’s to come next season.

Frazier however has not publicly announced that he will be back at Georgia next year and rumors are circulating that he could enter the Transfer Portal.

It’s impossible to state how big of a loss this would be for Georgia. Frazier finished the season just shy of 1,000 yards as he racked up 947 yards and six touchdowns on 173 carries. He also had dominant showings in a few games as well, most notably when he ran for 181 yards against Mississippi State. He was set to have an even bigger season next year as a junior, but that may not be occurring at Georgia anymore.

Frazier hasn’t entered the Transfer Portal yet, but it sounds like there is a chance he does. And if he does it Ohio State could be the team he lands with.

Kirby Smart and his staff have to do everything they can to keep Frazier in Athens. Georgia does have Chauncey Bowens who will return to their backfield for another season, but he can’t do it alone. He needs Frazier with him so Georgia can have one of the best running back duos in the country.

But there is a chance that doesn’t happen next season, and losing Frazier would feel a lot like losing Beck last year.

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NIL

Ty Simpson Reportedly Getting NIL Contract Offers After NFL Draft Decision, New Rumors on Alabama QB

Published

2 hours ago

January 12, 2026

Your Sports Nation

Ty Simpson has declared for the 2026 NFL Draft, but that hasn’t curbed college football programs from trying to get the Alabama quarterback on their roster.

According to AL.com’s Nick Kelly, Simpson has been offered “a deal that could total $6.5 million” from one program, while three SEC teams have offered “at least $4 million and more.”

Simpson was the No. 26 overall player and No. 4 quarterback in the class of 2022, according to 247Sports’ composite rankings. He’s a bit of a rare breed in today’s college football landscape in the fact that he waited three years at Alabama before becoming the starter, rather than transferring somewhere else.

Simpson played behind Bryce Young in 2022 and Jalen Milroe in 2023 and 2024 before eventually landing the starting job in 2025. While he had a few shaky outings, he was one of the best quarterbacks in the SEC this year, throwing for 3,567 yards, 28 touchdowns and five interceptions

His final game with the Crimson Tide came in the College Football Playoff quarterfinal against Indiana, where he threw for just 67 yards in a 38-3 blowout loss.

Bleacher Report’s NFL Scouting Department considers Simpson to be the No. 30 overall player and the No. 3 quarterback in this year’s draft class. In the latest mock draft from B/R, Simpson is projected to land with the Los Angeles Rams with the No. 13 pick.

While Simpson is widely projected to be a first-round pick, the NFL combine should give him a good idea of where he might land in April. Assuming he’s a consensus first-round pick, it’s hard to imagine Simpson will return to the collegiate level.

If he isn’t so confident about going in the first round, perhaps he’ll take one of the lucrative NIL offers he’s reportedly received.

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Tennessee football offered Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson $4 million

Published

3 hours ago

January 12, 2026

Your Sports Nation

Jan. 11, 2026Updated Jan. 12, 2026, 1:12 a.m. ET

Quarterback Ty Simpson may be headed to the NFL, but it’s not because he didn’t have suitors in college football.

Simpson, who started for Alabama during the 2025 season, declared for the 2026 NFL Draft on Jan. 7.

A source close to Simpson told The Tuscaloosa News on Jan. 11 that Miami offered him $6.5 million to play for the Hurricanes in 2026. That would have made him the highest-paid player in college football.

Tennessee and Ole Miss each offered Simpson $4 million, the newspaper reported through the same source.

Simpson is a Tennessee native from Martin, where he won a TSSAA state championship his senior season at Westview in West Tennessee.

Simpson’s base salary at Alabama was $400,000, the newspaper reported. That doubled to $800,000 with incentives.

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Ty Simpson “not wavering” on decision to turn pro amid NIL bidding war

Published

4 hours ago

January 12, 2026

Your Sports Nation

Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson announced last week that he was leaving school early to enter the NFL draft. But that hasn’t stopped other college programs from offering him lucrative NIL deals.

What started out in the $4 million range has reached in excess of $6 million, a source with knowledge of the situation told Bama247.

But that same source said the offers were unsolicited and that Simpson “hasn’t wavered” in his decision to enter the NFL draft. The expectation is he will not change his mind before the Wednesday deadline for underclassmen to declare.

Al.com was first to report the unrelenting interest in Simpson as the draft deadline approaches.

Simpson went 11-4 in his lone season as the starter, leading Alabama to the College Football Playoff and a come-from-behind victory at Oklahoma in the first round. But his season ended on a sour note as he threw for only 67 yards and no touchdowns in a 38-3 loss to Indiana in the Rose Bowl that saw him sidelined for much of the second half with a rib injury.

Simpson, who was named a team captain in the summer, finished the season with 3,567 passing yards, 28 passing touchdowns and five interceptions. He also ran for 93 yards and two scores.

Recent NFL mock drafts have had Simpson ranked among the top three quarterbacks — behind Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza and Oregon’s Dante Moore — and a borderline first-round pick.

Alabama 2026 NFL draft decision tracker: Who will stay in school or enter draft?

With Simpson gone, Mack and Russell are the two most experienced quarterbacks on the roster. The two were listed as co-backups this season with Mack having a 62-to-36 edge in total offensive snap over Russell.

Both Mack and Russell resigned with Alabama last week.

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The Ohio State football program is in Transfer Portal crisis thanks to Ross Bjork

Published

5 hours ago

January 12, 2026

Your Sports Nation

When Ohio State made the decision to hire Ross Bjork as athletic director once Gene Smith stepped down, a large reason was that he was supposed to be an expert in the NIL space. Bjork touted his ability to galvanize donors and pay the athletes what they rightly deserved.

The end of his tenure at Texas A&M did see the football program spend a lot of money on recruits. It backfired spectacularly. Jimbo Fisher did not coach the team well, and Bjork had to fire him and pay him around $77 million to not coach the program.

Since coming to Columbus, Bjork has used the opposite approach. He has been borderline stingy at every corner when it comes to NIL for the Ohio State football program. Instead of helping the Buckeyes, he is actively sinking the ship just a year after winning a national title.

Ross Bjork is actively hurting the Ohio State football program

30 players have entered the Transfer Portal from this year’s version of the Ohio State Buckeyes. That is by far the most since the portal became a widely used thing. What’s even worse is that Bjork has refused to pay enough to bring enough players in to replace those guys leaving.

There have been several instances of the Buckeyes losing out on talented portal players because they did not use their NIL money correctly. Bjork seems to think that the College Sports Commission is actually going to be able to enforce any sort of cap when it comes to revenue sharing.

No other high-major program is operating under those assumptions. In fact, most of Ohio State’s competitors keep reloading in the portal. Indiana is arguably passing the Buckeyes when it comes to finding talented older players in the portal, and that’s why they are playing for a national title.

Bjork was a questionable hire when he was brought in. The shine has worn off from the 2024 national championship, and more people are realizing that the title was won in spite of him, not because of him. Ryan Day needs to start putting his foot down when it comes to the football program.

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