Tom Dempsey

The NFL lost a legend with the passing of kicker Tom Dempsey from complications caused by the Coronavirus. Reports indicated that he originally beat the virus, but died at a nursing home in Louisiana where he had been dealing with dementia for the last seven years.

Dempsey had an improbable career after being born without toes on his right foot and missing four fingers on his right hand. He was able to last 11 seasons in the NFL by using a specially designed flat-front shoe and kicking the ball straight on.

After setting an NFL record with a 63 yard field goal, his accomplishment drew criticism from a few because they felt his shoe gave him an unfair advantage.

The league implemented "The Dempsey Rule" in 1977 which stated that a player's kicking leg must have a kicking surface that conforms to a normal shoe. His record stood for 43 years until it was broken in 2013.

His iconic moment came while playing for the Saints in the final moment in a game against the Lions on Nov 8, 1970 when he nailed his game wining kick.