Posted on 08/12/2026 2:04:54 PM PDT by MtnClimber
The Maumelle High School player wore the helmet for an hour before noticing movement underneath the padding.
Thousands of high school football players across the country are taking the practice field, preparing to kick off the 2026 season in the coming weeks, but one young man in Arkansas recently had a practice experience unlike any other.
With the Maumelle High School football team split into position groups during practice, a player noticed there was movement inside his helmet. Obviously, nothing is supposed to be moving inside a football helmet, but when he handed the helmet over to a defensive coach, nobody could have predicted what was hidden inside.
According to NBC KARK, there was a two-foot-long snake hiding underneath the helmet's padding. While there are plenty of high school football coaches who would have immediately tossed the helmet into the woods or taken care of the snake themselves, athletic director Kirk Horton called on Animal Services.
Officers for Animal Services received a report that the snake was a copperhead, which is venomous, but when they arrived to see it for themselves, it was identified as a cottonmouth, which is also venomous.
"It really was just shock and disbelief," Horton told the outlet. "I’ve got a better shot at winning the lottery than seeing this in my ten years."
Oh, and it's worth mentioning that the player didn't feel the movement inside of his helmet until an hour into practice. The snake did a great job hiding, as it wasn't one of those situations where it was discovered while the team was stretching before getting practice underway.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
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I hate when that happens.
I thought this was going to be another Anthony Karmelo story, but snakes instead of a knife.
This is one of those “truth is stranger than fiction” stories.
Did the student bring it to practice with him, or is there an equipment room that needs to be looked at?
Perhaps he left it on the ground during practice and the snake slithered in?
We may never know how it got there, but I hope someone is trying to find out.
I can sorta see a copperhead finding its way into the helmet but a water moccasin?
“Where are helmets stored when not in use?”
Probably in an old abandoned lake house 🤣
Sound like a padded outer helmet “slip on”. Perhaps one of those situations where the temperature hits 90, a whistle blows and helmets have to be removed and placed on the ground.
Thing is, for the rest of that young man’s football career he’s going to be thumping his helmet on the ground and peering inside before putting it on, and somebody’s going to ask him what he’s doing and he’s going to say, “Checking for snakes,” and they’re going to think he’s crazy.
Probably in an old abandoned lake house 🤣
Or an old abandoned snake house...
Probably a baby moccasin. But they are just as venomous as the big ones.
Or at a snake farm?
Ray Wilie Hubbard might have something to say about this.
The cotton mouth, which is much more venomous, also has a very nasty temperament.
Hard to imagine that a cottonmouth can be identified as a copperhead.
Cottonmouths are quite aggressive. It’s amazing he wasn’t bitten.
Would you want to tackle a guy knowing he has a venomous snake in his helmet?
Snake in the grass?
Snakehead has a nickname now.
Is that a snake in your helmet, or are you just happy to see me?
I’m guessing he plays ssssssafety
Ray Wylie Hubbard on Austin City Limits “Snake Farm”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gk8N_NtXoi4
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