Every tattoo has a story, and George Kittle’s wife Claire had a supporting role in his “Dark Knight”-inspired ink.
During an appearance Wednesday on Kyle Brandt’s “10 Questions” podcast, the 49ers tight end spoke about getting a tattoo of the late Heath Ledger’s Joker the night before his 2019 wedding.
“I’m getting married on a Wednesday. I decide that I want this tattoo on the Friday before my wedding. And I get it scheduled through my tattoo artist,” Kittle said. “And I was like, ‘Hey, I’d really like to get this. I’m gonna be gone for awhile after this, but could you squeeze me in at all?’”
When Kittle’s tattoo artist replied they had a Tuesday opening, the 27-year-old athlete then broke the news to his then-future wife.
“I’m pretty sure this is a Saturday afternoon or a Sunday afternoon. So I gave her like a 48-hour heads-up. And I go home after that night to my fiance Claire, and I’m like, ‘Hey, what are your thoughts on this?’” Kittle recalled, noting he showed Claire a series of screenshots from the 2008 film, which also starred Christian Bale as Batman.
Kittle decided to permanently etch an image of Ledger’s Joker sitting in a jail cell from the film on his forearm. Upon telling the bride-to-be his plans, Kittle said: “I thought she was going to stab me.”
“She goes, ‘We’re getting married in two days, and you want to go get a tattoo. Especially something on your forearm that you’re gonna see everyday,’” Kittle said.
The two-time Pro Bowler said he explained “the mental side of it,” but Claire was curious over the timing.
“She did not really give me her blessing on it, but she said, ‘Just go, because it’s something that you really want to do,’” Kittle said.
“I spent eight hours in a tattoo chair the day before my wedding.”.
For the big day, Kittle had his forearm saran-wrapped after getting the tattoo.
“I took it off at night and it bled all the way through. But it is what it is and I had fun,” Kittle said of the intimate affair.
Over the summer, Claire celebrated Kittle’s monster five-year, $75 million contract extension. As of Thursday, his $11.45 base salary for the 2022 season has become fully guaranteed, according to ESPN.