Bald eagle causes flap after landing on petrified fan at Cotton Bowl
An American bald eagle flying around a Texas stadium as part of a national anthem stunt must have needed a breather because he suddenly landed on the shoulder of a stunned fan who said he was "scared crapless."
The semifinal game in Arlington between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Clemson Tigers on Saturday was about to begin when Clark the eagle flew around the stadium during the singing of the anthem. The bird was supposed to land near his handler but instead found another human perch. That football fan cowered as others in the audience snapped photos.
The eagle landed all right. On a Notre Dame fan. pic.twitter.com/6koNTfitvm
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) December 29, 2018
Notre Dame fan Tuyen Nguyen, who lives in South Bend, Indiana, then extended his arm for a second perch option and Clark tried it out.
"I thought the bird had to be very tired. So I put my hand out to see what happens. And it landed on me. It was very interesting. I was very excited. It was amazing, I couldn't even believe it," he told Sports Illustrated.
🦅☘️ pic.twitter.com/5upm9Ym4L4
— Kimberley A. Martin (@ByKimberleyA) December 29, 2018
Although no one was hurt by the eagle, Nguyen later said he still had "goosebumps."
Clemson beat Notre Dame 30-3.
Twitter users couldn't help but post a couple of other intriguing eagle scenes, like the time Challenger the eagle landed on the back of Canadian lefty pitcher James Paxton of the Seattle Mariners just before a spring game against the Minnesota Twins in Minneapolis. Paxton was not injured in the encounter.
earlier this year..an eagle landed on our Canadian, J. Paxton, during @Mariners game♥️ I think this granted him U.S. citizenship😂 pic.twitter.com/5ceBiqbiTR
— ♥️MsIndependentlyBroke♥️🦋 (@DANAnotMISSANN) December 30, 2018
That is correct. If they pick you you're automatically a citizen.
— Switchingears.com (@Switchingears) December 30, 2018
#BoldNorth
This is @Twins Territory and that Bald Eagle knew it. pic.twitter.com/J8q7BDVI47— FOX Sports North (@fsnorth) April 5, 2018
Eagles know who are cool pic.twitter.com/PDAjeQgxwx
— Santa Awes is GOING TO TOWN! (@awescar) December 29, 2018
This article originally appeared on HuffPost