Highlighted Year: Tom Dempsey, 1969

Placekicker, New Orleans Saints

Age: 22

3^rd season in pro football (2^nd active), 1^st in NFL & with Saints

College: Palomar Junior College

Height: 6’1”   Weight: 264

Prelude:

Born without a right hand and with no toes on his right (kicking) foot, Dempsey seemed an unlikely football player. Still, he played offensive tackle in high school and defensive end, in addition to placekicking, at California’s Palomar Junior College. Dempsey spent 1967 in the Atlantic Coast Football League with the Lowell Giants where he booted just two field goals but a league-leading 42 extra points and joined San Diego’s taxi squad in ’68, where a special kicking shoe was designed for him that would, in time, generate controversy. While capable of kicking for distance with his size and leg strength, accuracy was a chronic problem.

1969 Season Summary

Appeared in all 14 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Kicking

Field goals – 22 [3, tied with Bruce Gossett]

Most field goals, game – 4 at NY Giants 11/16, vs. Philadelphia 11/30

Field goal attempts – 41 [1]

Most field goal attempts, game – 7 vs. Philadelphia 11/30

Field goal percentage – 53.7 [6]

PATs – 33 [7, tied with Pete Gogolak, Bob Etter & Lou Michaels]

PAT attempts – 35 [7]

Longest field goal – 55 yards at LA Rams 10/5

Scoring

Field Goals – 22

PATs – 33

Points – 99 [5]

Awards & Honors:

1^st team All-NFL: AP

Pro Bowl

Saints went 5-9 to finish third in the NFL Capitol Division.   

Aftermath:

Dempsey gained notoriety during a 1970 season in which he kicked a 63-yard game-winning field goal against Detroit, which exceeded the previous NFL record by seven yards. He hit on 18 of 34 field goal attempts overall, with three of 50 yards or more but with three misses inside the 30 and just one of five good between 30 and 39 yards. Dempsey lost out to Skip Butler in the 1971 preseason but caught on with the Philadelphia Eagles and, active for the last five games, led the NFL in field goal percentage (70.6) while connecting on 12 of 17 three-pointers, including a then-club record 54-yard kick. He spent three more seasons with the Eagles and had a six-field goal game in ’72. His most productive year in Philadelphia was in 1973 when he made good on 24 of 40 field goal attempts (60.0 %) and 34 extra points with no misses. However, with the goal posts moved to the back of the end zone in 1974 Dempsey attempted just 16 field goals, was successful on 10 of them, and missed four of his 30 extra point attempts. He was traded to the Los Angeles Rams in 1975 and, while his field goal percentage rose to 80.8 as he succeeded on 21 of 26 attempts, he continued to struggle with extra points. Dempsey’s performance slipped in ’76, his last with the Rams, and he spent time with the Houston Oilers and Buffalo Bills before his career ended in 1979. Overall in the NFL, he kicked 159 field goals out of 258 attempts (61.6 %) and added 252 extra points, with 30 misses, for a total of 729 points. With the Saints, he was 40 of 75 on field goals (53.3 %) and 49 of 52 on PATs for 169 points. He received his lone Pro Bowl selection with New Orleans, as well as his greatest fame with the 63-yard field goal that remained the NFL record until 2013.

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Highlighted Years features players who were consensus first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the following statistical categories:

Rushing: Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Passing: Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating

Receiving: Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Scoring: TDs, Points, Field Goals (min. 5)

All-Purpose: Total Yards

Defense: Interceptions, Sacks

Kickoff Returns: Average

Punt Returns: Average

Punting: Average

*Leagues include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)

**NFC/AFC since 1970

1975: Rams Obtain Tom Dempsey from Eagles

April 22, 1975 was a busy day for transactions by the Philadelphia Eagles. Guard Mark Nordquist was traded to the Bears and CB Charley Ford to Houston, both for draft choices. The most noteworthy deal sent PK Tom Dempsey to the Los Angeles Rams for an undisclosed 1976 draft choice (it turned out to be a fourth-round pick, which was later traded to Green Bay).

Dempsey, who was 28, had gained notoriety with the New Orleans Saints in 1970 when he kicked a 63-yard field goal that not only gave the Saints an upset victory over the Detroit Lions but broke the existing NFL record for longest field goal by seven yards. Born with only two fingers on his right hand and half of a right foot, Dempsey overcame disabilities to play offensive tackle in high school and defensive end at Palomar Junior College. He also took up placekicking, and when the Chargers of the AFL signed him to their taxi squad in 1968, a special shoe was designed for him with a flat surface like a mallet. A placekicker with the size of a lineman (6’1”, 260 pounds), he had considerable leg strength.

The Chargers released Dempsey after a year and he joined the Saints in ’69, gaining Pro Bowl recognition as he booted 22 field goals. He kicked another 18 in 1970, but while he could kick for distance, he had problems with accuracy. Three of his attempts of over 50 yards were good, as well as four of seven from 40 to 49 yards, but he was successful on only one of five tries from 30 to 39 yards. He was beaten out in the 1971 preseason by Skip Butler (who failed to last past the second game) and was activated by the Eagles midway through the schedule.

Dempsey’s half season with Philadelphia in ’71 was outstanding as he succeeded on 12 of 17 field goal attempts for a league-leading 70.6 percent. Among those kicks was a 54-yarder at home against the Cardinals that set a new team record (eclipsed by Tony Franklin in 1979).

Dempsey kicked for another three years with the Eagles, but was never again as consistent. While his field goal total rose to 20 in 1972, he had 35 attempts for a percentage of 57.1. His most notable performance was six field goals in an 18-17 win over the Oilers, another team record, and in a game in which the opposing kicker was, ironically enough, Skip Butler (who missed a potential game-winning kick). He set a then-club standard with 24 field goals in ’73, out of 40 tries, but had a noteworthy 26-yard field goal miss in a one-point loss at Buffalo and was still less-than-dependable on midrange kicks.

In 1974, the NFL made two rules changes that had a notable effect on placekickers, including Dempsey. The goal posts were moved from the goal line to the rear of the end zone and failed field goal attempts beyond the 20 yard line were returned to the line of scrimmage rather than the 20. Dempsey had just 16 field goal attempts for the year and was good on 10 of them.

There had been acrimony between Dempsey, who was the team’s player representative, and Eagles owner Leonard Tose during the players’ strike prior to the ’74 season, and there were rumors throughout the year that the placekicker’s job might be in jeopardy. Eagles Head Coach Mike McCormack indicated that the deciding factor in dealing Dempsey was the rule change regarding long missed field goal tries.

“The new kicking rule has reduced the need for long field goals,” explained McCormack. “Dempsey tried only 16 field goals for us last year. We tried only three or four from 40 yards or more (the actual number was seven). We feel we can get by with a short-range kicker, the 20- to 30-yard percentage type, someone whose leg maybe isn’t as strong as Dempsey’s.”

The Eagles filled their placekicking vacancy by obtaining Horst Muhlmann from Cincinnati, and he was successful on 20 of 29 field goal attempts (69 %). Only one attempt, which was good, came from over 50 yards although many were in the 40 to 49-yard range, with a success rate of 7 in 13 tries.

Dempsey, meanwhile, made good on 21 of 26 field goal tries for a career-best 80.8 percentage in his first year with the Rams. His longest covered 51 yards, he was four of five from 40 to 49 yards, and was perfect (7 of 7) between 20 and 29 yards for the first time in his career. However, he paradoxically missed five of his 36 points after touchdown.

Dempsey’s performance slipped in 1976, as he went 17-of-26 on field goal attempts and was unsuccessful on eight of 44 extra points. In the NFC Championship game, his blocked chip-shot field goal attempt in the first quarter was returned 90 yards by the Vikings, who went on to win the game – the last for Dempsey with LA. He was waived the following preseason.

Dempsey saw action with the Oilers and Bills over the next three years. Overall, he kicked 159 field goals out of 258 attempts (61.6 percent) and 89.4 percent of his extra point tries (252 of 282). Most of his field goals came with the Eagles (66) and he had a total of 38 with the Rams, but it would be the 63-yard kick for New Orleans for which he would be best remembered. 

1974: Defense & Dempsey Key Eagles Upset of Cowboys

The Monday Night Football game on September 23, 1974 featured two NFC East rivals, the Dallas Cowboys against the Philadelphia Eagles. The Cowboys, under Head Coach Tom Landry, had been the far more successful of the two clubs, having been to the postseason in each of the preceding eight seasons. They were coming off of a 10-4 record in ’73 and had won their season-opening game over the Falcons handily by a score of 24-0. Moreover, they had won 12 of the last 13 matchups with the Eagles dating back to 1967.

Philadelphia, meanwhile, was once again in rebuilding mode under second-year Head Coach Mike McCormack. The Eagles had been over .500 just twice since last winning a league championship in 1960 and were on their fifth head coach since that time. McCormack replaced Ed Khayat after a dreadful 2-11-1 season in 1972 in which the team produced a total of just 145 points and 12 touchdowns. A major deal was swung to bring veteran QB Roman Gabriel from the Rams, and the offense improved significantly in ’73, although the overall record was still only 5-8-1. For 1974, another major trade was made to upgrade the defense as Philadelphia obtained star MLB Bill Bergey from Cincinnati. In the Week 1 game at St. Louis against the Cardinals, the Eagles gave up just seven points – but scored only three.

There were 64,088 fans at Philadelphia’s Veterans Stadium, and for most of the game they saw both offenses struggle. The Eagles couldn’t move the ball, but star QB Roger Staubach of the Cowboys missed on his first six pass attempts.

However, in the second quarter, Dallas put together a 90-yard drive with three Staubach completions along the way and RB Doug Dennison scored from three yards out. That was it for the first half scoring as the Cowboys led by 7-0 at halftime.

In the third quarter, Dallas was driving deep into Eagles territory again after a Gabriel pass was intercepted by CB Charlie Waters. Once more at the three yard line Dennison took the handoff, but this time he fumbled when hit by Bergey just short of the goal line. CB Joe “Big Bird” Lavender picked the loose ball up on the bounce and ran 96 yards up the sideline for a touchdown. Instead of the Cowboys being ahead by two touchdowns, in stunning fashion the score was tied at 7-7.


Such was the situation as the game entered the fourth quarter. A poor 26-yard punt by the Cowboys gave Philadelphia good field position, and with just under 12 minutes to play, Tom Dempsey gave the Eagles the lead with a 34-yard field goal.

On the ensuing kickoff, Dallas RB Dennis Morgan returned the kick 36 yards and might have broken free but was tackled by the 265-pound Dempsey, who had played defensive end in junior college. As it was, with 8:34 left, Mac Percival kicked a 26-yard field goal to again tie the score at 10-10.

Coach McCormack considered replacing the ineffective Roman Gabriel with backup John Reaves, as the 34-year-old veteran had completed only four passes and the offense had just one first down. Leaving the ex-Ram in, Gabriel proceeded to throw to RB Po James for a 34-yard gain and WR Harold Carmichael for 13. He gained six yards on a quarterback draw, giving Philadelphia three first downs in the series. However, with the clock down to 3:13, RB Tom Sullivan fumbled and Dallas LB Dave Edwards recovered at his own 11.

Three plays later, the Eagles got the ball back when SS Randy Logan intercepted a Staubach pass intended for WR Drew Pearson at the sideline with 1:49 left. Typical of how most of the game had gone for the Eagles offense, they ran the ball twice for negligible yardage and Gabriel threw an incompletion, necessitating a 45-yard field goal attempt.

Dempsey was again successful and his kick put Philadelphia in front with 25 seconds to play. However, the Cowboys still had a shot and drove from their 18 to the Philadelphia 31 thanks to two Staubach passes to Pearson. But with two seconds left on the clock, Percival missed a 48-yard field goal attempt into the wind that fell short and to the left. The Eagles came away with a hard-fought 13-10 upset win.

Dallas dominated statistically, outgaining Philadelphia (385 yards to 165) and accumulating far more first downs (20 to 5). The Cowboys both outran the Eagles (168 yards to 98) and outpassed them (217 yards to 67) while both teams turned the ball over three times.

Roman Gabriel completed only 6 of 14 passes for 92 yards with one intercepted. Tom Sullivan was the leading rusher with 57 yards on 16 carries and Harold Carmichael the top receiver with two catches for 45 yards. Tom Dempsey, with the two clutch field goals, and Bill Bergey, who was credited with 18 tackles, were the stars of the game, along with Joe Lavender and his team-record fumble return (a record that lasted until 2006).

For the Cowboys, Roger Staubach was successful on 19 of 33 passes for 217 yards, but none were good for scores while two were intercepted. Drew Pearson was the primary offensive weapon as he caught 10 passes for 161 yards. RB Robert Newhouse rushed for 97 yards on 22 attempts.

“The defense and Tom Dempsey won the game,” said Coach McCormack afterward. Each member of the defense and Dempsey received game balls.

The big concern for the Eagles was that, for the second straight week, the offense had not gotten the ball into the end zone. Still, they got off to a 4-1 start before losing six straight games (starting with a 31-24 defeat at the hands of the Cowboys in Dallas). They won their last three (with rookie Mike Boryla starting at quarterback for the benched Gabriel) to salvage a 7-7 record that put them in fourth place in the NFC East.

Dallas went on to have an off-year, losing their next three games before recovering to win 7 of the last 9. The Cowboys finished third in the division with an 8-6 tally and missed the postseason for the first time since 1965.

With his job reportedly on the line coming into the Monday night game against Dallas, Tom Dempsey’s two field goals earned him a reprieve and he finished out the season (the first since 1932 in which the goal posts were at the back of the end zone rather than the goal line) with 10 field goals in 16 attempts. The hefty placekicker born without toes on his right foot, and who had booted a record 63-yard field goal for the Saints in 1970 before coming over to the Eagles in ’71, had been the team’s player representative during the ’74 preseason strike and acrimony had risen between him and owner Leonard Tose. He was traded to the Rams after the season.

Bill Bergey’s dominating performance against the Cowboys was the first of many and he had an outstanding year, garnering consensus first-team All-Pro honors for the first of two consecutive seasons. He was also selected to the Pro Bowl, an honor he would achieve four times while with the Eagles. The leader of the defense (as well as its best player) inspired chants of “Ber-gey, Ber-gey” from the Philadelphia fans that would become a regular feature of games at the Vet during his heyday. (Bergey pictured below)

1970: Tom Dempsey Kicks 63-Yard Field Goal to Jolt Lions

The November 8, 1970 game between the New Orleans Saints (1-5-1) and visiting Detroit Lions (5-2) at Tulane Stadium hardly seemed like a matchup that would come down to the last play. The Saints weren’t playing well, had lost their last two games by 32-14 and 30-17 margins, and had just replaced Head Coach Tom Fears with J.D. Roberts.

The Lions were contenders in the NFC Central and were coming off a key divisional loss to Minnesota, with the rematch coming up the following week. But they led by only 7-6 at the half and were down, 16-14, in the fourth quarter when Saints RB Tom Barrington scored on a four-yard run. However, with 6:42 left in the game, QB Greg Landry led the Lions on a 76-yard drive that ended in an 18-yard Errol Mann field goal with only 11 seconds remaining.

The Saints ran one play after the ensuing kickoff, with QB Billy Kilmer hitting WR Al Dodd along the sideline for a 17-yard gain to the New Orleans 45 yard line (there was some doubt that Dodd had managed to keep both feet inbounds). With two seconds remaining, placekicker Tom Dempsey came onto the field to attempt a field goal.

Dempsey had been born without a right hand and with no toes on his right (kicking) foot. In spite of his disabilities, he played football for Palomar Junior College in California, and joined the Saints in ’69 after a stint on San Diego’s taxi squad. A hefty 6’2” and 255 pounds, he had a powerful leg, but accuracy was always an issue. There was also controversy regarding the modified shoe that he wore on his kicking foot which was in questionable compliance with league rules on footwear.

In his first season in New Orleans, he had been successful on 53.7 % of his field goal attempts (22 of 41) – and was just one for 11 from 50 or more yards away – and thus far in 1970 he had been hampered by a pulled muscle in his hip and had been good on only five of 15 field goal attempts.

On this day against the Lions, Dempsey had kicked field goals from 29, 27, and 8 yards. Now he instructed his holder, Joe Scarpati, to set up eight yards deep rather than the customary seven to provide a bit more time and room for his long attempt.

The snap and hold were just right, and Dempsey kicked the ball solidly. Many of the Detroit defenders didn’t take the long field goal attempt seriously and barely mounted a rush, although veteran DT Alex Karras came charging in and nearly got a hand on the kick. But the ball cleared the line with plenty of height, hung for a long time, and went over the crossbar just to the right of center by about a foot, landing three yards beyond.

Fans and teammates erupted wildly, over both the 19-17 win for the Saints and the wholly improbable manner in which they had won. As Detroit Head Coach Joe Schmidt put it afterward, “You’ll never see it again. It’s like winning the Masters with a 390-yard hole-in-one on the last shot”.

Dempsey’s kick broke the existing record for longest field goal – 56 yards by Baltimore’s Bert Rechichar in 1953 – by seven yards. To date, few have come close, and it was finally tied by Jason Elam of the Broncos 28 years later.

The 63-yard field goal made Dempsey an overnight celebrity, but it didn’t guarantee him job security. He finished the ’70 season at 18 for 34 (52.9 %) and was cut the following preseason. Picked up by Philadelphia during the 1971 season, he actually led the league in field goal percentage (70.6 on 12 of 17 attempts) and set a then-team record for the Eagles with a 54-yard boot. He went on to play three more seasons in Philadelphia before moving on to the Rams, Oilers, and Bills.

The win was the high point for the New Orleans Saints in ’70 – they lost the remainder of their games and ended up with a 2-11-1 record at the bottom of the NFC West. Detroit recovered to finish at 10-4, good enough for second place in the NFC Central and, in this first season of the newly-merged NFL, a postseason spot as the conference’s wild card team.