Inked Mag Staff
January 11th, 2019
Check Out the Daily Life of One of the NFL’s Top Agents
Meet NFL Agent and Tattoo Collector Jon Perzley
When did you first develop an interest in football and what path did you take to become an NFL agent? My true passion for football really developed in college at the University of Florida. I was friends with a lot of players on the team. I was always asked to help out my friends heading to the NFL. Once I saw the reality of the agent business, I decided I was going to do anything I could to not only become an agent, but to be one of the best.
What’s the typical workday like for an NFL agent? The beautiful part of being an agent is that every single day is different. I could be on a 10-day, five-city trip; I could be in our Manhattan office; or I can be at home— all while working. My days are consumed with helping and communicating with my clients—I’m definitely kept on my toes.
How does your personal and professional life change during the draft season? There really is no personal life from September through April—I end up consumed with the NFL season. Starting late November, early December the draft-eligible players decide on who their agent is, begin training for the NFL Combine and preparing for the NFL Draft. Once the Draft is over, I can finally breathe a bit.
We heard that you got your first tattoo at the age of 15. What was it and what led you to get a tattoo at such a young age? Yes, probably a little young to pick a tattoo that will be on your body the rest of your life. I remember thinking how awesome I felt, even though the dragon actually looks like a newt. I’ve removed tattoos before, but I will never cover it. That tattoo was the beginning of my tattoo journey.
Recently, you’re becoming quite the collector. Which artists are on your current bucket list and do you have any new appointments coming up? There are so many incredible artists and only so much open skin on a human body. I began collecting because I could not believe how far the evolution of tattooing has come. So many artists out there can create mind-blowing work. I have a few appointments coming up, including Pony Lawson, Yomico Moreno, Samurai Standoff and Volko Merschky & Simone Pfaff (creators of Trash Polka). I currently have work from Yogi Barrett, Alexis Vaatete, Shine, Chris Youngblood, Dave Paulo, Eliot Kohek and more. Luckily, I’ve been able to book appointments with all of these guys who are on my bucket list.
Where do you hope to be in one year, five years and 10 years from now? I don’t want to be anywhere but exactly where I am. I love what I do and love my life. Whether five, 10, or 25 years from now, I will be representing some unbelievable human beings in the NFL, and will, hopefully continue, to have an influence in the tattoo community.
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