At a Glance
- Parachutist tangled in netting behind goal post during Armed Forces Bowl pre-game ceremony.
- Fell nearly 30 feet but landed safely.
- No injuries reported among crowd or skydiver.
- Why it matters: A fall during a major college football event raises safety concerns for aerial displays.
During the pre-game ceremony for the Armed Forces Bowl between Rice and Texas State at Amon G. Carter Stadium, a skydiver from the All Veteran Group experienced a dramatic mishap when his parachute tangled in the stadium’s netting behind a goal post, leading to a near 30-foot fall.
The Incident
The parachutist, carrying a U.S. Navy flag, was caught in the netting behind the goal post, causing his lines to pull sharply back and suspending him momentarily before the chute collapsed. He then fell about 30 feet to the ground.
- Netting behind the goal post caused entanglement.
- Parachutist fell 30 feet.
- No injuries reported.
Official Statements
Drew Harris, director of the Armed Forces Bowl, confirmed the skydiver walked away and that no one in the crowded area behind the end zone was injured. He also noted a second parachutist landed safely outside the stadium after veering off due to wind.
Mike Elliott, jump team’s president, said:
> “Today, the winds were a little tricky, and one of the jumpers kind of got behind the power curve. He did the best he could do. He did not land in the crowd. He did land behind the goalpost, but without a scratch. He walked away,”
All Veteran Group
The jump into Amon Carter Stadium was performed by the All Veteran Group, a skydiving team with more than 100,000 combined jumps that regularly perform at over 150 events each year.
- More than 100,000 combined jumps.
- Perform at over 150 events annually.
- Three other jumpers landed without incident.
Key Takeaways
- Parachutist fell ~30 feet but landed safely.
- No injuries reported.
- All Veteran Group remains injury-free.
The incident highlights the risks inherent in aerial displays at sporting events, but all participants and spectators were unharmed.
