Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

I posted this in the obit section, but given Dempsey's stature within the history of the game, I am posting here as well. RIP.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl/to ... spartandhp

Does anyone know the name of the SF 49er defender who was badly injured when he ran into Tom Dempsey's kicking foot during a game against the Rams? It was in Los Angeles, it had to be because I was there. I am pretty sure it was the 1975 game in LA because the 1976 game was a Monday Night game and my memory is that the incident happened during a daytime game. The defender had to be taken off the field on a stretcher and then had problems on the flight back to the Bay Area.

The oddity of course is that the 49ers defensive player was flagged for roughing the kicker.

I remember Dempsey as a courageous guy who overcame a great deal in order to play pro ball. I remember thinking way back then that I wanted to be able to say that I saw him play and I was sad today to learn of his passing.

Tom Dempsey was one of my first football heroes. My earliest recollections of pro football date back to Nov. 1, 1970 (Raiders-Chiefs brawl) and Dempsey's record breaking kick one week later. Don Criqui's call of that dramatic moment still gives me chills:

https://youtu.be/cjqiq4S9bqA

Dempsey also set the North American professional field goal distance record that day. Dave Cutler of the CFL's Edmonton Eskimos had kicked a 59 yarder at Saskatchewan just 11 days earlier. Cutler was also aided by a 25 mph wind.

Anyone knows why he wore #23 for the 1977 Oilers? My only memorias of him “live” were in a 1978 game with the Bills against Pittsburgh.

Does anyone know if Dempsey attempted any other FGs close to the 63-yarder? His next longest made was 55 yards. Pro football reference shows the distances of all the FGs he successful converted, but nothing on the misses; at least from what I could find!

Lee Elder wrote:Does anyone know the name of the SF 49er defender who was badly injured when he ran into Tom Dempsey's kicking foot during a game against the Rams? It was in Los Angeles, it had to be because I was there. I am pretty sure it was the 1975 game in LA because the 1976 game was a Monday Night game and my memory is that the incident happened during a daytime game. The defender had to be taken off the field on a stretcher and then had problems on the flight back to the Bay Area.

The oddity of course is that the 49ers defensive player was flagged for roughing the kicker.

I remember Dempsey as a courageous guy who overcame a great deal in order to play pro ball. I remember thinking way back then that I wanted to be able to say that I saw him play and I was sad today to learn of his passing.

Ralph McGill, who was knocked unconscious on November 9, 1975. His injury caused a delay of about 15 minutes.

Lee Elder wrote:Does anyone know the name of the SF 49er defender who was badly injured when he ran into Tom Dempsey's kicking foot during a game against the Rams? It was in Los Angeles, it had to be because I was there. I am pretty sure it was the 1975 game in LA because the 1976 game was a Monday Night game and my memory is that the incident happened during a daytime game. The defender had to be taken off the field on a stretcher and then had problems on the flight back to the Bay Area.

The oddity of course is that the 49ers defensive player was flagged for roughing the kicker.

I remember Dempsey as a courageous guy who overcame a great deal in order to play pro ball. I remember thinking way back then that I wanted to be able to say that I saw him play and I was sad today to learn of his passing.

Dempsey looked also like an ofenisve guard, I believe he was the heaviest pure kicker in NFL history.

Dempsey looked also like an ofenisve guard, I believe he was the heaviest pure kicker in NFL history.

Tom Dempsey - 255 lbs
Sebastian Janikowski - 260 lbs

From what I have heard he was a very affable guy. He was given the "Bonehead of the Year" Award for his record-breaking 63-yard FG in 1970 which eventually wound up costing New Orleans the #1 overall pick in the 1971 NFL draft. I saw a picture of him somewhere accepting the award with a big smile on his face. Another interesting item is that he had to get a special rider from the league to use his specially made kicking shoe. That would make a good research project.

RRMarshall wrote:From what I have heard he was a very affable guy. He was given the "Bonehead of the Year" Award for his record-breaking 63-yard FG in 1970 which eventually wound up costing New Orleans the #1 overall pick in the 1971 NFL draft. I saw a picture of him somewhere accepting the award with a big smile on his face. Another interesting item is that he had to get a special rider from the league to use his specially made kicking shoe. That would make a good research project.

Tex Schramm, being his perpetual a-hole self, raised a stink (right after the 63-yarder) about the "unfair advantage" that Dempsey had...