"I want to get it removed from my body. It's shameful that I had it on there ignorantly."
That's Patriots rookie Justin Rohrwasser fighting back tears and apologizing for the "3 Percenter" tattoo on his arm ... saying he'll now have it removed because "that's not who I am."
You've probably heard by now ... the 23-year-old has been under fire over the tattoo since he was drafted by the Pats in the 5th round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
Why? Well, Justin claims he got the tat when he was 18 as a tribute to the military -- but some experts and watchdog groups say the "3 Percenters" are actually a dangerous right-wing militia .