Yell talks art, fatherhood and football
Defensive back sports impressive athletic talent — and an impressive array of tattoos
Blessed with a keen eye for art off the football field, Ronnie Yell has never been short of inspiration on it.
Now, the fourth-year defensive back goes one-on-one with Cam Tucker in the B.C. Lions Blitz Q&A, where they discuss tattoo designs, the art of the interception and the moment during NFL training camp when Yell’s life changed forever.
Q: I’ve noticed you have a lot of tattoos. How many do you have?
A: As far as a number count, I cannot give you that. I completely lost count of all my tattoos. I can tell you where I’m covered. My whole front side is covered, all arms, all back and we’re working on legs next.
When did you get your first tattoo?
Fifteen.
I read that you do a lot of paintings, drawings and artwork. When did you discover you had artistic talent?
That came from (when I was) young. I’d say early ages. My mom just kept me in a lot of creative stuff, just kept me busy. Kept my in sports and outside of sports, I was a good student, so when I was done my homework, I just doodled. I’ve got a creative imagination so I paint a lot. I draw. A lot of my tattoos, I’ve drawn myself. I’m just really artistic. I’m into fashion. I’m into designs. I started that at a really early age. How many of your tattoos are from your own personal designs?
Every tattoo I have has some sort of my design in it. I gave the artist an idea, I drew the idea for them and then I basically let them get in the rings and incorporate what they do. Does it hurt? Some of them. Some spots hurt more than others but none of them feel good.
I’d imagine all of your tattoos are personally significant, but is there one that you would say has a really special meaning for you?
I would definitely say my son’s tattoo — I have his footprints tattooed on my neck with his name and his birthdate. That’s definitely to date my most prized possession for tattoos. That’s my pride and joy right there, man. That would definitely have to be my most important.
Your son was born during Arizona Cardinals training camp. How did you balance the two?
Honestly, it was really hard balancing due to the fact that I was fresh out of college. It wasn’t like I was in the league and established and I could miss time or take off. I really couldn’t. I was trying to make a team, I was trying to make a 53-man roster, so I couldn’t leave. The coach at the time, Bruce Arians, I asked him at the time if I could go see the birth and he was open about it and said I could, but as a player you can tell — you can tell demeanours, you can tell just how coaches are. I couldn’t miss that. Unfortunately I missed the birth of my son but it turned out well. I’m here and I’m able to provide for him.
When you got back to see your son, what was that like?
It was amazing. It was the first thing I wanted to do. Right when I got released, I almost immediately came up here (to the Lions during the CFL practice roster expansion period) so I had about a month in between when I got released and when I came up here. Every day I spent with him. It was amazing. It was a lot of time missed being in training camp and it was a lot of time made up with the month off. Our relationship is amazing today.
What will that mean to you when he comes up here for a game?
It’s going to mean everything. It will be his first time actually seeing me play live and not on television. Seeing what dad does best in real life. That will be really exciting. He’s going to be really excited. It will be a fun time.
What’s his name?
Kaeto Akai — which stands for the “first born” — and then Yell.
You played quarterback in high school. You made the transition to defensive back at San Jose State. What went into the transition and how difficult was it?
The transition wasn’t too hard. I’m not the prototype quarterback stature or size or arm. None of that. I already knew after high school that I wasn’t going to play quarterback anymore. So going into college, it was either slot receiver or DB. The determining factor was I came in, they tried me at DB and I started all four years at San Jose. That was the story right there.
The art of the interception … what goes into getting an interception?
The art of the interception, it comes in all ways. It’s preparation. It’s film study. Knowing exactly what’s coming, knowing exactly what your opponent’s going to do. Honestly, just when the ball is there, it’s making sure you’re in position and going and making a play on the ball. A lot of DBs in the league, they kind of panic when that ball comes or they don’t look at where the ball is at. They’re just chasing. You’ve got to look and see where that ball is at all times and when it’s there, you’ve just got to go get it. Go make a play.