Some people go under the needle to honor a significant other or their own children. Others, however, get inked up to commemorate a figure they simply have a lot of respect for – a legend that inspired them or was somehow meaningful to their lives. That's precisely what Jack Meredith, a die-hard Bills fanatic, did. Except instead of getting a design commemorating his favorite player, he got one that was inspired by the late Buffalo Bills owner, Ralph Wilson Jr., who died in March. The car dealership general manager spends a total of five hours round-trip traveling to Bills home games, but he's still taking his level of fandom to a new level.
A bold decision
Largely considered the face of the Bills, Wilson passed away at 95 years old. According to NESN, he bought the team in 1959, making him the longest-tenured owner in the history of the NFL after George Halas of the Chicago Bears. This may have something to do with why Meredith, a Bills fanatic, decided to get a tatt dedicated to him. He didn't have Wilson's name etched on his skin, either – he went for a detailed color portrait of the man's face on his right arm. Despite any criticism for this over-the-top move, Meredith stands behind his choice.
"We wouldn't have the team without him," the 32-year-old told ESPN. "And so I felt it would be nice to pay tribute to him … Some people think I'm crazy. I don't care. It's my arm."
A cloudy future
One reason why many people feel that the piece could cause some tattoo regret later on is that the destiny of the Bills is relatively unpredictable due to Wilson's loss. NESN noted that while a few major players have showed interest in buying the team recently, it's still unclear what will happen to the franchise in the coming months. Hopefully Meredith plans to stand behind the Bills regardless of who owns them. If not – he always has tattoo removal options to consider.
Still, this is not Meredith's first piece of body art. NESN reported that he already has the Bills team logo emblazoned on his left arm. Not only that, but he already has plans to go back under the needle next month for an image of Jim Kelly, the former Bills quarterback.
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* Source: Harris Interactive, 2012
