High school American footballer rattled by snake in helmet

A high school American football player in the United States narrowly avoided injury after discovering a venomous snake inside his helmet during a practice session at Maumelle High School in Central Arkansas. The 2-foot long cottonmouth snake was discovered behind some padding, causing the player to feel an unusual movement within his headgear following warm-ups. Concerned teammates alerted an assistant coach, who inspected the helmet and found the slithering pit viper.

Due to the snake's reluctance to exit the helmet, police officers had to pour water into it to force the reptile out and into a bag. Animal services technicians arrived shortly after, identified the snake as a deadly cottonmouth, and transported it to a wooded area far from the school. Cottonmouths are the second most venomous snakes found in Arkansas, according to the animal services director, Chris Davis.

He noted that the player had worn the helmet for nearly an hour before detecting the snake, and was fortunate not to suffer a bite.

Davis described the situation as "unreal," emphasizing the unusual circumstances of the incident. The player quickly grasped a different helmet and resumed practice. However, the incident prompted the head coach to emphasize the importance of players checking their equipment carefully for any foreign objects, insects, or larger dangers before use.