A high school football player in Arkansas noticed something unusual inside his helmet during a recent practice and took it to a coach, according to UPI Odd News.
Maumelle High School Athletic Director Kirk Horton said the coaches checked under the padding and found a snake about 2 feet long. It was later identified as a venomous cottonmouth.
Horton told KARK-TV that the discovery brought “shock and disbelief.” The coaches put the helmet in a bag and contacted Maumelle Animal Services.
Animal officers relocated the snake to a wooded area away from the school. The player was not bitten and continued practice using a replacement helmet, while the Maumelle Animal Shelter reminded people to check outdoor gear before putting it on.
