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Before U.S. college football games at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va., the entrance of the home team to Enter Sandman, a Metallica song, is a cherished tradition.
“Enter Skydiver” didn’t work out quite as well.
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On Saturday, before Virginia Tech’s spring football game, a skydiver crashed into the scoreboard at the university’s Lane Stadium.
Virginia Tech officials said on X that the skydiver “was safely secured and is currently stable” following rescue efforts. The incident caused a delay in the start of the game.
The name of the skydiver wasn’t released.
THE ‘ENTER SANDMAN’ ENTRANCE, FROM A 2023 GAME
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“Our primary focus remains on their well-being,” Virginia Tech officials said in a statement. “We extend our sincere appreciation to the first responders, event staff, and medical personnel for their swift, coordinated and professional response.”
Virginia Tech later put out a statement on X saying that the “quick actions” of first responders had “safely returned today’s parachuter to the ground without injury.”
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We are grateful to report that the skydiver was safely secured and is currently stable. Our primary focus remains on their well-being.
We extend our sincere appreciation to the first responders, event staff, and medical personnel for their swift, coordinated and professional…
— HokieSports (@hokiesports) April 18, 2026
Video footage showed the skydiver’s parachute landing between the “C” and the “H” on the Virginia Tech lettering on top of the scoreboard before first responders rescued him.
The Blacksburg Fire Department didn’t immediately respond to a voicemail from The Associated Press seeking details on the incident.
The incident is the latest recent event at a U.S. college football game in which a pre-game landing didn’t reach the expected location.
Before the Salute to Veterans Bowl in Montgomery, Ala., on Dec. 16, 2025, one of the skydivers missed the football field and landed in a nearby baseball park.
Before the Armed Forces Bowl in Fort Worth, Texas, on Jan. 2, 2026, a parachutist briefly became tangled in end zone netting before freeing himself and landing. The man was able to walk away. Another member of the five-person parachutist group missed the field altogether.
— with files from The Associated Press
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