09/26/2026
A Statement From the Red River Cryptids Organization
Today is a difficult day for our organization.
First and foremost, our hearts and prayers are with the child involved in today’s incident and their family. We sincerely pray for a speedy and complete recovery. We also want to extend our thoughts to everyone who was physically or emotionally affected, including the families, players, and spectators who had to witness what unfolded.
We came to the field today expecting to watch what should have been a great football game between two competitive teams — the Red River Cryptids and the Rhinos.
Instead, we left deeply saddened, frustrated, and extremely disappointed by what took place.
The Red River Cryptids have always believed in three things above everything else:
1. GOD.
2. FAMILY.
3. FOOTBALL.
That order matters.
God comes first. Family comes second. Football comes third.
Football is a game. It is something we love, something we work hard for, and something we are proud to be a part of. But football should never become more important than the people standing beside us.
Players are someone’s sons, daughters, husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, and friends. The people standing on the sidelines are someone’s family. The children watching are learning from the adults around them.
That is why today’s events hurt so deeply.
We are extremely disappointed by the unsportsmanlike conduct that was displayed today and by the way the situation ultimately unfolded. What should have been an opportunity for two organizations to compete, shake hands, and walk away proud of the game they played instead became an incident that affected players, families, spectators, and ultimately our ability to continue using the field.
We cannot and will not put football above family.
The Red River Cryptids will always hold our players accountable for their actions, and we expect the same standard from everyone who steps onto a football field with us. Competition can be intense. Emotions can run high. But there must always be a line between playing hard and losing sight of respect, sportsmanship, and the safety of others.
We are not going to add fuel to the fire or turn this into a public fight between organizations. There are enough people hurting from what happened today.
Instead, we want to remind everyone what we stand for.
GOD.
FAMILY.
FOOTBALL.
And when those three things are in the right order, football becomes what it was always meant to be — something that brings people together, builds relationships, creates memories, and gives our families something to be proud of.
Tonight, our thoughts remain with the child, their family, everyone who was injured, and everyone who had to witness what happened.
May God watch over those affected, bring healing to those who were hurt, and remind all of us that there are things in life far more important than the outcome of a football game.
— Red River Cryptids Organization
GOD. FAMILY. FOOTBALL. 🦖🏈🙏
