Bald Eagle Lands on Notre Dame Fan Ahead of Cotton Bowl Classic
Notre Dame vs. Clemson Tigers Bald Eagle Lands on ND Fan in Stands ... That's Gotta Hurt
A Notre Dame fan became a human perch at the Cotton Bowl Classic after a bald eagle swooped down and landed on his shoulder.
The incredible (and probably incredibly painful) moment went down Saturday ahead of the Fighting Irish's game against the Clemson Tigers at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX. Sports Illustrated writer Ross Dellenger caught the landing on camera.
The eagle landed all right. On a Notre Dame fan. pic.twitter.com/6koNTfitvm
@RossDellenger
Somewhat surprisingly, the fan was able to keep his composure as the bird stood on him for nearly 20 seconds. It flapped its wings a bit as people whipped out their phones to take pictures, and the guy kinda seemed more giddy than terrified in the moment.
The eagle eventually flew away ... and obviously left the crowd wowed by its close encounter. For the record ... an adult bald eagle's talons can exert a force of up to 400 pounds of pressure per square inch when hunting. They're also really, really sharp.
Smile through the pain, bud. It's a once in a lifetime thing, after all.
