Record-setting New Orleans Saints kicker Tom Dempsey has tested positive for COVID-19. Dempsey, 73, is battling Alzheimer’s disease and dementia at a senior-living facility in New Orleans. At least 50 residents of the facility have been affected by the coronavirus, with at least 13 passing away.
Ashley Dempsey, his daughter, said his symptoms have been relatively mild. “His appetite has been good. He’s doing OK,” she said, adding that her father’s caretakers have been doing an “unbelievable” job. “He’s a fighter. He’s been fighting his whole life.”
Dempsey, who was born without fingers on his right hand and without toes on his right kicking foot, set a then-NFL record with a 63-yard field goal on Nov. 8, 1970. The kick at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans lifted the Saints to a 19-17 win over the Detroit Lions.
Dempsey played 11 NFL seasons with the Saints (1969-70), Philadelphia Eagles (1971-74), Los Angeles Rams (1975-76), Houston Oilers (1977) and Buffalo Bills (1978-19).
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