A high school football player in Arkansas finds a roughly two-foot-long cottonmouth inside his helmet during practice. The player notices movement under the padding and alerts staff. Police officers and animal services become involved as the snake is reluctant to come out.
One account says officers pour water into the helmet to encourage the snake to exit, after which it is placed in a bag. Animal services technicians later identify the animal as a deadly cottonmouth and relocate it to a wooded area away from the school. Another outlet reports the snake remains hidden for nearly an hour during practice, with the player continuing the session after officials remove it.
Across the reports, the player is not harmed, and the snake is removed safely and taken away from the school premises. The differences mainly involve the timing details of how long it stays in the helmet and the specific method used to coax it out.
