The U.S. Naval Academy football team honored the recently-fallen SEAL Team 8 commander at this year’s annual Army Navy game.
Cmdr. Brian Bourgeois, the commanding officer of SEAL Team 8, died Dec. 7 after suffering injuries during a fast-rope training evolution Dec. 4 in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The incident is still under investigation.
While the Navy team did its annual field run out with the American, Navy and Marine Corps flags, they also added a SEAL Team 8 flag in Bourgeois’ honor.
Two wide receivers, senior Michael Salisbury and sophomore Jayden Umbarger sported SEAL Team 8 patches on their uniforms, while a #13 home jersey also featuring patches was placed on the Navy sideline.
Umbarger, sporting the SEAL Team 8 patch, scored the first touchdown for team Navy.
“An incident like this weighs heavily on us all,” Capt. Donald Wetherbee, commodore for Naval Special Warfare Group 2, said in a statement. “Brian was as tough as they come, an outstanding leader and a committed father, husband and friend. This is a great loss to everyone who knew him. He will be greatly missed.”
Bourgeois, a Naval Academy football player himself, left behind five children and a wife.
Rachel is a Marine Corps veteran and a master's candidate at New York University's Business & Economic Reporting program.