Giants rookie Thomas Fidone II a self-taught tattoo artist
Thomas Fidone II speaks with the media at the Giants rookie minicamp today in New Jersey. May 10, 2025. Credit: Ed Quinn
Thomas Fidone II’s journey to the NFL already was impressive after what he went through at Nebraska. He played only three snaps in his first two seasons after tearing the ACL in his left knee twice.
But perseverance isn’t the Giants rookie tight end’s only skill. He’s a self-taught tattoo artist who’s done art on himself, as well as his father and teammates, during the past couple of years.
“During COVID, kind of got bored. Once I got done training and stuff like that, we couldn’t do anything,” Fidone said Saturday on the last day of Giants rookie minicamp. “I’d go train and lift at like 7, 8 a.m., get done at probably 10, have all day [because] everything’s closed.
“It was winter, so it was like I got to do something. I just kind of picked up tattooing.”
Fidone never was an artist or drew doodles for fun when he was younger, but once he became interested in tattoos, he started watching videos on YouTube. He learned about what needles to use, proper technique and how to avoid infecting someone.
He started his own Instagram page — “tommy_tatz” — to highlight the work he’s done for others.
Though he estimated he has 12 or 13 tattoos, the only one he’s done on himself is on his right leg, where he drew the No. 24 while adding flourishes around his knee.
That one, he said, was a challenge both because of the precision and pain tolerance required.
“It was hard just because it hurts doing it to yourself,” Fidone said. “You can’t really tell the artist no, but when you’re doing it, you have control. So being able to get through it, I guess.
“I wanted No. 24 to mean something to me and my family, so I just, why not the knee? There was an empty space there, I got bored one day and I told myself I wouldn’t do it until I got pretty good.”
Fidone didn’t say what the tattoo means, but they all carry some importance to him, and he might add more while navigating his first season with the Giants.
Fidone’s work already has drawn a few extra looks from his new teammates.
Have they asked him yet about possibly doing some art?
“No, but I heard about it, though,” rookie cornerback and fellow seventh-round pick Korie Black said. “I’ve seen his leg tattoo. It was pretty cool.”
Fidone initially didn’t see any parallels between learning how to tattoo someone and developing as a football player, but he now sees how both are lessons in patience and putting in work to get better at something.
It’s the same discipline he will need while fighting for reps behind Theo Johnson, Daniel Bellinger and Chris Manhertz. But he’s fine with it after overcoming two knee injuries and learning a hobby that has given him even more purpose and discipline.
“I’m the type of person that if I start something, I’m going to do it until I’m good at it or I’m great at it,” Fidone said. “I don’t want to just start and not finish something. So that’s kind of how I look at things.”
Evan Barnes covers the Giants for Newsday. He previously covered the Brooklyn Nets, Memphis football and the Memphis Grizzlies and also covered prep sports in Los Angeles.
