By Kaitlyn Connell
When first-year Tallahassee Community College student Jack Henyecz walked out of Doak Campbell Stadium after the Florida State University football game against North Carolina, he had no idea that the poster he was holding would help him become a celebrity in the sports world almost overnight.
The now-infamous poster was not your average game day sign; it was a poster with a promise.
“If FSU beats UNC I will get this tattoo.” Next to this statement was a photo of FSU’s head coach Mike Norvell in cornrows during his college playing days.
At the time, the chances of that happening were quite unlikely. UNC was undefeated and ranked No. 5 in the nation, while FSU had already sustained three losses for the season.
For Henyecz, the reality that he was about to get his first tattoo did not sink in until the Tar Heels failed to make a first down in the last few minutes of the fourth quarter, clinching a 31-28 win for the Seminoles.
“Immediately following the game, I was just so happy that they won,” said Henyecz. “Because it was one of the best games I had ever been to, but with the sign in my hand, everyone that we passed kept saying, ‘You have to get this tattoo.’ “
And so he did. Almost a week later, the 19-year-old found himself sitting in a chair at a local tattoo parlor, getting that same image of Norvell from his poster immortalized in ink on his right leg.
Since Henyecz got the tattoo, he has been inundated with attention from fellow students, news outlets, popular social media accounts, and was recently featured on ESPN’s College GameDay. Henyecz said that a message from an ESPN producer caught him by surprise.
“He said, ‘Is it OK if we use your photo tomorrow on our show?’ And I’m, like, ‘Of course it’s OK. This is a dream of mine. I used to wake up every morning as a kid watching College GameDay.’ “
In addition to the media attention, Henycez has also been stopped on multiple occasions by fellow students in College Town hoping to get a closer look at the infamous tattoo. He also explained how he had recently been approached by a fan while working on shift at Publix.
“He was a college student, and he walked in and then said, ‘Wait a minute, you’re the guy that got the tattoo.’ “
And to top everything off for Henyecz, Norvell tweeted a response to the viral tattoo. The head coach stated, “Two prime examples of college decisions gone bad. Wear it proud and can always tell one hell of a story!”
“It was honestly the icing on the cake,” said Henyecz. “I was waiting for the guy himself to see it, and hopefully, I can meet him soon.”
Although Henycez still has a couple of semesters left before he can transfer to FSU, his love for the university is unwavering, as evidenced by the permanent tribute to the ‘Noles’ victory etched on his leg.
“It’s been fun, it’s a good thing,” said Henyecz. “It was for Florida State, and a team that I’ve always liked, so it was a great reason to do it.”
