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A rogue bald eagle at the Cotton Bowl lands — on a Philadelphia Eagles fan, naturally.

A bald eagle circling over a crowd at Saturday's Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic in Arlington, Texas, during the national anthem decided to land on a Philadelphia Eagles fan instead of returning to its handlers.

Clark, an American bald eagles lands on the back of a fan on the upper deck during the playing of the national anthem before the NCAA Cotton Bowl semi-final playoff football game between Clemson and Notre Dame on Saturday.
Clark, an American bald eagles lands on the back of a fan on the upper deck during the playing of the national anthem before the NCAA Cotton Bowl semi-final playoff football game between Clemson and Notre Dame on Saturday.Read moreRoger Steinman / AP
    by Mari A. Schaefer
    Updated 
    Published 

Clark the bald eagle knows how to pick a friend out of a crowd.

The raptor decided to go rogue during the national anthem at Saturday’s Cotton Bowl Classic between the University of Notre Dame and Clemson University held at the Dallas Cowboy’s stadium in Texas. The winged beauty ignored his caretakers and instead landed on the arm of a Philadelphia Eagles fan.

The pre-kickoff event during the college football playoff was captured by social media and soon went viral.

“He looked pretty tired,” Tuyen Nguyen told ESPN. “I just put my hand out to see if he was going to land on me, and he did. It was just an instant reaction.”

“Oh, by the way, I’m a big-time Philadelphia Eagles fan,” Nguyen told ESPN. “And the eagle landed on me at the Cowboys' stadium. How’s that?”

The regal eagle first tried to land on the back of a different fan, but didn’t get the same welcoming reception.

Clark perched on Nguyen’s arm for several minutes, posing for photos and videos before his handlers were able to retrieve him.

Nguyen, who came to the U.S. in 1979 after the Vietnam War, fell in love with the Philadelphia Eagles while living in the city. He later moved to South Bend, Ind., where he worked as a carpenter on Notre Dame’s campus.

He made the trip to Texas with his wife and two sons, one a recent Notre Dame graduate, to visit friends and family, according to ESPN.

He told ESPN he was not intimidated by the bird, which he figured was trained.

The Clemson Tigers outscored the Fighting Irish, 30-3, for the win.

Here’s hoping our Eagles are that overpowering this afternoon against the Redskins.