Arkansas Football Player Practiced an Hour With Venomous Snake in Helmet
A Maumelle High School player discovered a cottonmouth had been hiding under his helmet's padding for nearly an hour before he noticed it moving.
A high school football player in Arkansas practiced for almost an hour last week without realizing a venomous snake had slipped inside his helmet.
The 2-foot-long snake got under the padding of the helmet during a practice at Maumelle High School on Thursday, staying hidden until the student felt an unusual movement in the headpiece and stopped to investigate.
Athletic Director Kirk Horton told NBC affiliate KARK of Little Rock that his staff was stunned when the player brought the helmet in for inspection after warmups and they discovered the snake trapped inside.
"It really was just shock and disbelief," Horton said. "I've got a better shot at winning the lottery than seeing this in my 10 years."
Maumelle Animal Services responded to retrieve the snake, placing it in a tote bag and releasing it into a nearby river.
Animal Services Director Chris Davis told NBC News on Tuesday that officers initially received a report identifying the snake as a copperhead, but determined after arriving that it was actually a cottonmouth — the second most venomous snake in Arkansas.
The Maumelle Animal Shelter posted a warning on Facebook after the incident: "Before putting on your helmet, shoes, gloves, or any outdoor gear, always give it a quick check first. It only takes a few seconds and could prevent a very scary encounter — or worse."
Cottonmouths tend to prefer dark, enclosed spaces, which likely explains how the snake ended up hidden beneath the helmet's padding undetected during practice.
This article was produced with the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI), in accordance with our editorial policy.
