The NFL’s 60-yard field goal problem — and how to fix it

For the longest time, it seemed certain Tom Dempsey — who became a professional athlete despite being born with no toes on his right foot and no fingers on his right hand — would stand alone, a most unlikely owner of a record that was barely ever approached.

With two seconds remaining at New Orleans’ Tulane Stadium on the afternoon of Nov. 8, 1970, Dempsey lined up to kick a 63-yard field goal with his Saints trailing the Lions 17-16. A fair segment of the 66,910 fans had begun to flood Claiborne Avenue, bound for home.

Those who stayed pondered the preposterous possibility of what Saints coach J.D. Roberts was asking Dempsey to try. In those years, the goal posts were at the goal line; this meant Dempsey’s holder, Joe Scarpati, would be placing the ball at the Saints 37-yard line. Nobody had ever even attempted something like that before.

“I knew I could kick it that far,” Dempsey would say. “But could I keep it straight?”