SAINTS kicker Tom Dempsey, 73, dies of Covid-19

[treeduck]

RIP Tom

 

:( :( :( :( :(

[Babycat]

[driventotheedge]

RIP Tom.

If you're of an age, you know he held the NFL record for longest FG for quite a number of years at 63 yards. On top of that, he did it (in 1971 iirc) at sea level in New Orleans not a mile high in Denver.

[Nova Carmina]

Maybe I'm mis-remembering, but didn't he only have part of his kicking foot?

 

RIP -- go join the Saints.

[goose]

Maybe I'm mis-remembering, but didn't he only have part of his kicking foot?

 

RIP -- go join the Saints.

Yes. And a partially formed hand.

 

Edited April 5, 2020 by goose

[goose]

Dempsey died WITH coronavirus.

 

"Dempsey...has been battling Alzheimer’s disease as well as dementia since 2013..."

 

An important clarification.

[Principled Man]

Dempsey died WITH coronavirus.

 

"Dempsey...has been battling Alzheimer’s disease as well as dementia since 2013..."

 

An important clarification.

 

According to this New Orleans article, Dempsey did die from covid-19.

 

 

Tom Dempsey died late Saturday of complications from the novel coronavirus, his family said. He was 73.

 

Dempsey contracted the virus in March during an outbreak at the Lambeth House retirement home in Uptown New Orleans. He is one of at least 15 residents there to die after being stricken with the disease.

 

Dempsey was diagnosed with COVID-19, the highly contagious respiratory disease, on March 25, Ashley Dempsey said.

 

She said her father's fight against the virus started promisingly, but his condition gradually worsened. Doubling his family's pain is that they could not be with him during his final days because Lambeth House residents were quarantined. However, they spoke to him via video chat daily, Ashley Dempsey said.

 

"We didn't want him to think we had abandoned him," she said. "We wanted him to know we still loved him — always."

 

https://www.nola.com/sports/saints/article_f4822bdf-7ef3-522e-8634-54ad5805dc21.html

[HemiBeers]

RIP Tom. I don't have a fond opinion of 'retirement homes' as my my parents both died after experiencing Alzheimer's in the same situation.

 

Yeah his right foot was deformed to where it was basically a sledgehammer. I think that is just as debatable for his record status as Prater setting the record in the thin air of Denver. Regardless either way, Dempsey and Prator both did it which is a rare occurrence that other kickers have not done.

Edited April 5, 2020 by HemiBeers

[Three Eyes]

[Nova Carmina]

God, the '70s were a different world, weren't they?

 

What is that, Topps '75?

[HemiBeers]

God, the '70s were a different world, weren't they?

 

What is that, Topps '75?

he played for Philly from 71-74. Interesting that he set the record in 1970 but the Saints got rid of him after that year. He only had about a 53% accuracy rating his 2 years with the Saints and 61% for his career. Any kicker these days with less than 80% probably doesn't have a job. Edited April 5, 2020 by HemiBeers

[LyndseyG]

:(

[Nova Carmina]

God, the '70s were a different world, weren't they?

 

What is that, Topps '75?

he played for Philly from 71-74. Interesting that he set the record in 1970 but the Saints got rid of him after that year. He only had about a 53% accuracy rating his 2 years with the Saints and 61% for his career. Any kicker these days with less than 80% probably doesn't have a job.

 

So, just as a thought experiment, what do you suppose was going through the head of the Saints coach? "I've got a kicker who's no better than average, it's 63 yards; yeah, let's go for it"? Maybe it was a low-risk situation.

[driventotheedge]

God, the '70s were a different world, weren't they?

 

What is that, Topps '75?

he played for Philly from 71-74. Interesting that he set the record in 1970 but the Saints got rid of him after that year. He only had about a 53% accuracy rating his 2 years with the Saints and 61% for his career. Any kicker these days with less than 80% probably doesn't have a job.

 

So, just as a thought experiment, what do you suppose was going through the head of the Saints coach? "I've got a kicker who's no better than average, it's 63 yards; yeah, let's go for it"? Maybe it was a low-risk situation.

It was. Last play of the game. I'm pretty sure they were playing the Lions

[HemiBeers]

God, the '70s were a different world, weren't they?

 

What is that, Topps '75?

he played for Philly from 71-74. Interesting that he set the record in 1970 but the Saints got rid of him after that year. He only had about a 53% accuracy rating his 2 years with the Saints and 61% for his career. Any kicker these days with less than 80% probably doesn't have a job.

 

So, just as a thought experiment, what do you suppose was going through the head of the Saints coach? "I've got a kicker who's no better than average, it's 63 yards; yeah, let's go for it"? Maybe it was a low-risk situation.

It was. Last play of the game. I'm pretty sure they were playing the Lions

 

yeah it was a total shot by the coach when he didn't have any alternative. that decision doesn't happen unless it's the last play of a half or game.

[driventotheedge]

God, the '70s were a different world, weren't they?

 

What is that, Topps '75?

he played for Philly from 71-74. Interesting that he set the record in 1970 but the Saints got rid of him after that year. He only had about a 53% accuracy rating his 2 years with the Saints and 61% for his career. Any kicker these days with less than 80% probably doesn't have a job.

 

So, just as a thought experiment, what do you suppose was going through the head of the Saints coach? "I've got a kicker who's no better than average, it's 63 yards; yeah, let's go for it"? Maybe it was a low-risk situation.

It was. Last play of the game. I'm pretty sure they were playing the Lions

 

yeah it was a total shot by the coach when he didn't have any alternative. that decision doesn't happen unless it's the last play of a half or game.

Again going strictly off memory..I believe the Saints were down 2 and his kick, as mentioned the last play of the game, got them the win. Without googling, I believe the final score was Saints 19, Lions 17.

[driventotheedge]

After googling I found that I was incorrect about the year, it happened in 1970 but was correct about the opponent and the final score. Amazing what you remember.

[Derek19]

Seeing, reading, and hearing of anyone passing away from Coronavirus has been bad, and depressing. My condolences, to his family, and friends. R.I.P., Tom.

[laughedatbytime]

Video footage of the 63 yard FG... and the last drive that made it possible.

 

https://x.com/i/status/1841308762587410550

[TheAccountant]

Thats a pitty.  I remember watching him kick latter in his career when he was with the Rams.  RIP.  

[laughedatbytime]

Tom has a record that may never be broken, distance between longest and shortest field goal ever, 56 yards.    Everyone knows about the longest but I just found this out today.

 

https://x.com/QuirkyResearch/status/1850874405309612194

 

At least until someone kicks a 75 yarder (and an 18 yarder).