RIP Tom Dempsey

[pdq]

...from coronavirus.

Any football fan of a certain age will remember Tom Dempsey, whose career was largely encompassed by a single game-winning kick for a team with a 2-12 record that year (1970).

But what a kick. Sixty three yards, just clearing the crossbar.

Born with only half a kicking foot, and no right hand, Dempsey not only broke the record for the longest field goal, he shattered it, by seven yards - a record that stood for 4 decades.



RIP, Mr. Dempsey.

[Forrest]

Great story - looks like he had a good life.

[hal]

I remember watching that live on TV although I was never much of a football fan. It sure made me feel old when I saw a replay decades later and the video looked so... old.

[wave rider]

Seems I remember him playing defensive line on occasion. I liked his straight on kicking style as I could never get the hang of sidewinder style.

[Dennis S]

I saw the kick live on TV. I don't have a link, but I have read that the record pro field goal is shorter than the record college kick which is shorter than the record high school kick.

[hal]

Dennis S wrote:
I saw the kick live on TV. I don't have a link, but I have read that the record pro field goal is shorter than the record college kick which is shorter than the record high school kick.

makes sense - there are 100s times more college games than Pro games and 100s times more HS games than college games. I have no doubt that the record IN PRACTICE is higher in the NFL than the NCAA and is higher in the NCAA than HS.

[Dennis S]

hal, I never thought of that.

[Yoyodyne ArtWorks]

Dempsey only took a couple of steps before he made contact, amazing. RIP sir!

[Dennis S]

Didn't they hassle him over his special show?