Ave Maria gator grabs attention with football stuck in mouth

Reporter: Haley Zarcone Writer: Elyssa Morataya
Published: Updated:

A gator with a mouthful of pigskin! A WINK News viewer from Ave Maria captured a photo of the reptile that has become the center of attention.

An alligator with a football lodged in its mouth made waves on social media in Ave Maria.

Neighbors gathered at the lake to see the unusual sight. Rick Green, a local resident who often walks his dog near the lake, was taken aback by the image.

“I saw on our local Facebook page here for Ave Maria that someone had made a post about the alligator with the football stuck in his mouth,” Green said. “So I came over here, and I thought, perhaps I might have a little plan.”

Green planned to deflate the football and help the alligator.

Credit: WINK News

“I could get close enough to it, I might be able to pop the football with a knife, deflate it so the gator could then just spit it out. Move on. But I tried to get close to him, and he just wouldn’t let me anywhere close to him. So I told the wife about the plan, and she hated it,” Green said.

Despite the challenges, Green’s determination didn’t waver.

Our camera couldn’t capture the gator from afar, so Green took it upon himself to investigate. With a flashlight in hand, he approached the lake’s shore.

The football was eventually retrieved, much to Green’s delight.

“I’m thrilled! See all the bites on it,” Green said. “Right before you came I saw and he had it in his mouth.”

“That’s fantastic,” Green exclaimed.

Before Rick found the football, we contacted the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) to inform them about the alligator.

We have since reached out again to let them know the alligator is now free of the football, and the football is with Rick.

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