Tom Dempsey

Thomas John Dempsey (January 12, 1947 – April 4, 2020) was an American professional football player who served as a placekicker in the National Football League. Born in Milwaukee, he attended high school and college in Southern California. Dempsey was born with no toes on his right foot and no fingers on his right hand, and to accommodate his foot structure he wore a custom, flat-front kicking shoe that had no toe box.

Over his career Dempsey kicked for the New Orleans Saints, Philadelphia Eagles, Los Angeles Rams, Houston Oilers, and Buffalo Bills. Unlike the soccer-style approach that was becoming more widely used during his playing years, Dempsey used the then-standard straight-toe kicking style.

While with the Saints in 1970, Dempsey made a 63-yard field goal, setting an NFL record that stood for 43 years. His modified shoe, which featured a flattened and enlarged toe surface, generated controversy over whether it gave him an unfair advantage. The custom-made shoe cost $200, equivalent to roughly $1,658 in 2025.

Dempsey died on April 4, 2020.