But first, let’s give credit where credit is due: the NFL field goal record has been held for 43 years by Tom Dempsey, a kicker for the New Orleans Saints. Dempsey is best known for his NFL record 63-yard field goal (kicked in the final two seconds) to give the Saints a 19–17 win over the Detroit Lions on November 8, 1970.
A great quote from Wikipedia:
“Dempsey was born without toes on his right foot and no fingers on his right hand. He wore a modified shoe with a flattened and enlarged toe surface. This generated controversy about whether such a shoe gave a player an unfair advantage. When reporters would ask him if he thought it was unfair, he said “Unfair eh? How ’bout you try kickin’ a 63 yard field goal to win it with 2 seconds left an’ yer wearin’ a square shoe, oh, yeah and no toes either.”
You read that correctly. Tom Dempsey’s shoe looked like this:
Then, this past Sunday the 8th, Matt Prater, kicker with the Denver Broncos, set the new NFL field goal record with a smash of 64 yards, as illustrated below:
Records were meant to be broken, but Tom Dempsey’s record stood the time test of 43 years — an amazing “feet” if you will.
BZ
i seem to recall that Dempsey also pointed out that anyone who felt he, Dempsey, had an unfair advantage was free to have a partial amputation themselves.
JW, thanks for visiting and thanks for taking the time to comment. I suspect there weren’t too many takers for that one. . .
;^)
BZ
Yep, helluva record and stood for years! And he basically did it at sea level! Kudos to Prater though, that kind of kick requires a MUCH lower trajectory or a lot more power than most kickers can generate!
You bet; no denigrating his accomplishment at all.
BZ
Matt Prater has the skill and the leg strength to beat his own record. He routinely kicks 70 yards in practice.
Dempsey should always be remembered for his kick when the game was on the line, on chewed up turf in a college stadium, and a less kicker friendly ball used in that era.
Excellent points.
BZ