Former NFL kicker who kicked what was at the time (and for a long time afterwards) the longest field goal in NFL history. Died of COVID-19 complications. Age 73.
https://www.yahoo.com/sports/tom-dempse ... 57256.html
Born with only half a right foot, he wore a special flat-fronted shoe back in the day when everyone was a straight-on placekicker. He kicked a 63-yard field goal for the then hapless Saints. This was done with two seconds left int the game, and was the game winner; he broke the then existing record by a full seven yards. The shoe was banned the following season, but now resides in the NFL Hall of Fame.
And, given that the goal posts were then on the goal line in the NFL (not the back of the end zone), the kick looks totally ridiculous by modern standards, originating from his own 37 yard line.
https://youtu.be/zrxTjgFYoU8
RIP Tom Dempsey
-
SpacemanSpiff
- Posts: 2487
- Joined: Wed Jul 08, 2009 1:33 pm
- Location: Richmond VA
- Contact:
RIP Tom Dempsey
"If you're dead, you don't have any freedoms at all." - Jason Isbell
-
silverscreenselect
- Posts: 23363
- Joined: Mon Oct 08, 2007 11:21 pm
- Contact:
Re: RIP Tom Dempsey
Dempsey was also born without his right hand, which didn't affect his placekicking. He also played in an era in which most kickers kicked head-on with the front of their foot rather than the side as is almost universal today.
Check out our website: http://www.silverscreenvideos.com