Tom Dempsey, a legendary NFL kicker, has tested positive for COVID-19 following an outbreak at his senior living center.
The 73-year-old, who was born without toes on his right foot, made his way to the NFL in 1969 with the New Orleans Saints. He tested positive for the coronavirus, per The New Orleans Advocate, amid his ongoing battle with Alzheimer’s and dementia.
Voted a first-team All-Pro in his first NFL season, Dempsey drilled a 63-yard field goal during the 1970 season. He held the record alone for 28 years and shared the mark until it was broken in 2013.
Dempsey wore a modified shoe on his right foot that helped him kick the football despite not having any toes. He played in the NFL from 1969-1979, drilling 252 extra-point attempts and making 159 field-goal attempts.
As of now, Dempsey’s symptoms are reportedly mild and attendees are helping keep his fever down as much as possible. At the Lambeth House senior center, where Dempsey is living, more than 50 residents tested positive for COVID-19.
Recently, Saints head coach Sean Payton became the first person in the NFL to test positive for COVID-19. Fortunately, he has since been cleared and is feeling much better after dealing with mild symptoms.
According to Johns Hopkins University, there are now more than 150,000 confirmed cases of the coronavirus in the United States.