Legendary Saints kicker Tom Dempsey, who held the record for the longest field goal in NFL for decades, has died after contracting the coronavirus.
Dempsey, 73, died on Sunday night at his Louisiana retirement home less than a week after it became publicly known that he had contracted the disease. Dempsey was also battling dementia, and it’s unknown if corornavirus is the official cause of death.
According to WVUE:
Dempsey is best known for kicking a record-setting 63-yard field goal with no toes on his right foot. The record was broken decades later by Denver kicker Matt Prater with a 64-yard field goal.
Dempsey’s family said he was diagnosed with coronavirus in late March. The Saints kicker lived at the Lambeth House assisted living center where 15 people have died from COVID-19.
Funeral arrangements have not been made.
Dempsey is not the only member of the Saints family to be hit by the pandemic that’s spreading across the globe. Former Saints quarterback Bobby Hebert’s father, succumbed to the disease last week.
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