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Dan Lanning Goes Shirtless On College Gameday To Reveal Elaborate Tattoo Of His Wife: What Does It Mean?

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Dan Lanning Tattoo
ESPN

Dan Lanning took off his shirt on College Gameday to reveal an elaborate tattoo of his wife. It actually represents his entire life!

There are a lot of intricate details that might go unnoticed.

The head college football coach at Oregon got his tattoo approximately one year after he arrived to Eugene. It goes much deeper than you would think upon first glance.

Dan Lanning went shirtless.

Pat McAfee often goes tarps off for the boys on College Gameday. In fact, I think we are now to the point that it is expected. It is more of a when than an if. His shirt is probably coming off.

There was a new twist on Saturday!

McAfee got Lanning to join him. The 39-year-old head coach stood on a chair in front of a rowdy group of Ducks, removed three layers of clothing and flexed his muscles to get the people going.

As a result, Lanning’s large torso tattoo was on full display for a nationwide audience on ESPN.

Dan Lanning Gameday Shirtless Tattoo
ESPN

The image is of his wife. Except it actually goes much deeper.

What does his tattoo represent?

Dan Lanning got his tattoo in January of 2023. Alec Turner was the artist.

Lanning married his wife, Sauphia, in 2009. She is the main focus of the tattoo, which spans from just below his armpit to just above his waist on the left side.

Sauphia and Dan Lanning have three children together: Caden, Kniles and Titan.

All three of their names are tattooed on Lanning’s side across Sauphia’s neck.

Dan Lanning Tattoo

Also on Sauphia’s neck is a yellow ribbon, which represents bone cancer.

Dan Lanning Tattoo Ribbon

It is the only color on the entire tattoo because it carries the most weight. Sauphia was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma in 2016.

The rest of Lanning’s tattoo represents his entire coaching career and his personal life.

Dan Lanning Tattoo Meaning

Let’s break it down!

  1. The 816 area represents the greater Kansas City area, where Dan and Sauphia are both from.
  2. Dan Lanning began his coaching career at Pittsburgh.
  3. The pitchfork of Arizona State, where Lanning spent two years.
  4. Sam Houston State is located in Texas, where Lanning spent one season.
  5. A for Alabama, where Lanning served as a grad assistant.
  6. The final score of Georgia’s College Football Playoff National Championship when Lanning was the defensive coordinator.
  7. O for Oregon.
  8. The boomerang represents Outback Steakhouse, where Dan met Sauphia.

Dan Lanning’s tattoo looks only like a portrait of his wife upon first look. However, it goes much deeper!