Parachutist Gets Entangled in Wire During Armed Forces Bowl Pregame Event
The skydiver who became entangled in a wire while landing on the football field before the Armed Forces Bowl managed to avoid severe injury following the tense incident.
Prior to the game between Texas State University and Rice University at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas, on January 2, one of the pregame skydivers got caught on a cable located behind the end zone. After hanging for a moment, he fell several feet to the ground.
Following the event, a spokesman for the Armed Forces Bowl reported that the parachutist walked away from the situation unharmed, as stated by the Houston Chronicle.
“We were informed that he walked away unaided,” Drew Harris, the media director for the bowl game, said, noting that details about the man’s identity are currently unavailable.
“He got up, took his parachute, and walked away,” Harris mentioned to The Athletic.
Harris mentioned that strong winds at the time contributed to the mishap, with the National Weather Service reporting winds of about 12 miles per hour during kickoff.
The parachutists were from the All Veteran Group, a military veteran parachuting team that has been active since 2011.
Chris Dawn Jr. and Beau Sparks of the Texas State Bobcats celebrate after a play against the Rice Owls during the second half of the 2026 Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl at Amon G. Carter Stadium on January 02, 2026 Photo by Tim Heitman/Getty Images
According to their website, the team participates in over 150 parachute shows annually.
They have graced many NFL and college football events in previous years, including past Armed Forces Bowls and home games for the Carolina Panthers in Charlotte.
Texas State reporter Keff Ciardello shared a video of the occurrence on X, noting that only three of the five parachutists landed successfully. In addition to the one caught on the wire, another reportedly landed safely outside the stadium.
In the video, an audible gasp can be heard from the crowd when the unidentified parachutist became entangled.
“Moments like this are why my fear of heights will never fade, but I genuinely hope everyone is okay. Wow!” remarked one user on the post.
“Sending prayers for his safety. 🙏” another user commented.
Despite the minor incident, other aspects of the pregame event proceeded as planned. The scheduled F-35 flyover occurred without any issues, and the game was not delayed.
A worker at Acrisure Stadium suffered serious injuries after falling 50 feet. The tragic incident occurred on October 25, the day before the Steelers faced the Green Bay Packers. The identity of the worker has not been disclosed.
Texas State triumphed over Rice with a score of 41-10 in the bowl game, marking the conclusion of the school’s final season in the Sun Belt Conference. The university will be joining the Pac-12 Conference next season.
“I’m extremely proud of our players, coaching staff, and everyone involved in our achievements,” Texas State head coach GJ Kinne stated after the game. “It’s been a rollercoaster year, and the way we concluded it reflects what we’re building at Texas State. I’m very proud of everyone connected to this.”
This marked Texas State’s third bowl game victory in the last three seasons.
With this win, Texas State finishes the year at 7-6, achieving three consecutive winning seasons for the first time in the program’s history.
