Football fans in Miami use American flag to save a falling cat at stadium

During the game a cat, of unknown provenance, was spotted dangling from the upper deck

A Florida cat has put some Miami football fans' gym-class parachute skills to the test when it fell from the upper decks of a stadium this weekend - and was saved by the Stars and Stripes.

Craig Cromer and his wife, Kimberly, were at the Hard Rock Stadium on Saturday for the first game of the season between the University of Miami Hurricanes and Appalachian State. During the game a cat, of unknown provenance, was spotted dangling from the upper deck.

Mr Cromer, facilities manager at the University of Miami and a season ticket holder, was one of those who witnessed the commotion.

Mr Cromer told The Miami Herald, that his wife always brings an American flag to drape over the railing in front of their seats and, realizing the cat would surely lose its grip, rushed to stretch the Stars and Stripes out below it.

The rescue team skittered around to best position themselves to catch the cat as the scene caught more and more people’s attention.

“It seemed like it took forever,” Mr Cromer told The Herald.

In video footage of the scene, the crowd collectively gasps as the cat drops - but has its fall broken by the American flag. The cat tumbles out of the cloth and into the arms of a group of students below.

Ms Cromer said the entire event was "probably the strangest thing that's happened" since she started attending games. Her husband quipped it was his “first catch” at the Hurricanes.

The Hurricanes went on to win 25-23 against Appalachian State. After the game, coach Manny Diaz was asked about the cat. Frustrated with his team’s performance, he made the feline a lucrative offer.

“I don’t know anything about that or what was going on,” he said. “But I’ll tell you if the cat can help our red-zone offense, I’ll see if we can get it a scholarship.”