COVID-19. TOM DEMPSEY WAS 73 YEARS OLD. BECAUSE OF HIS NFL RECORD KICK IN 1970, TOM DEMPSEY WAS ONE OF THE SAINTS MOST WELL-KNOWN AND WELL RESPECTED PLAYERS. >> ONE OF MY TRULY FAVORITE PEOPLE. NOT ONLY INSANE’S HISTORY, BUT ONE OF MY FAVORITE PEOPLE. FLETCHER: HE IS THE DIRECTOR OF THE SCENES HALL OF FAME AND SAYS DEMPSEY IS THE MOST UNIQUE PLAYER EVER INUCTED INTO THE HALL. DEMS SHE WAS BORN WITHOUT TOES ON HIS RIGHT FOOT AND FINGERS ON HIS RIGHT HAND, BUT HE OVERCAME THE ODDS. HE PLAYED 11 SEASONS IN THE NFL WITH THE SAINTS, RAMS, EAGLES, OILERS, AND BILLS. >> TOM HATED WHEN ANYONE CALLED HIM HANDICAPPED. HE DESPISED THAT. HE COULD NOT STAND IT. HE WAS WITH SOME OBVIOUS DISADVANTAGES. ALL OF US WOULD NEVER KNOW HOW TO HANDLE IT IN ALL LIKELIHOOD. HE KNEW HOW TO HANDLE IT AT OVERCAME IT AND ACCEPTED CHALLENGES. HE WAS AN UNBELIEVABLE COMPETITOR. >> RAMS. >> VERSUS DALLAS, YES. FLETCHER: DURING 2009, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SIT DOWN FOR AN INTERVIEW WITH DEMPSEY. THE FIRST THING HE SAID WAS THIS. TOM: I AM A SAINT. I WILL ALWAYS BE A SAINT. EVEN THOUGH I PLAYED OTHER PLACES, I WILL ALWAYS BE A SAINT. I COULD NOT BE PROUDER OF THESE GUYS. FLETCHER: HE WAS PART OF THE KID INTO LANE STADIUM THAT BEAT THE DETROIT LIONS. TOM: THE OLDER YOU GET, THE NICER IT IS TO BE REMEMBERED. NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT. I AM PROUD OF THAT. FLETCHER: AND WE ARE PROUD THAT DEMPSEY WAS PROUD TO CALL NEW ORLEANS HOME. HE PLAYED WITH FIVE DIFFERENT NFL TEAMS. ONCE HIS PLAYING CAREER WAS OVER, HE COULD HAVE GONE ANYWHERE. BUT DEMPSEY AND HIS WIFE MADE THEIR HOME AND RAISED THEIR FAMILY IN OLD JEFFERSON. >> HE ALWAYS KNEW HE WAS COMING BACK PERMANENTLY. THAT IS THE WAY HE FELT. THEY FELT LIKE THIS WAS HOME. ALL THOSE YEARS. OF COURSE, RAISING A FAMILY HERE. THEY WENT TO SCHOOL HERE. FLETCHER: THE SAINTS OWNER SENT OUT THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT. "TOM’S LIFE SPOKE DIRECTLY TO THE POWER OF THE HUMAN SPIRIT AND EXEMPLIFIED HIS RESOLUTE DETERMINATION TO NOT ALLOW SETBACKS TO IMPEDE FOLLOWING HIS DREAMS AND ASPIRATIONS. HE EXEMPLIFIED THE SAINT FIGHT AND FORTITUDE IN RECENT YEARS AS HE BATTLED VALIANTLY AGAINST ILLNESSES BUT NEVER WAVERED AND KEPT HIS TRADEMARK SENSE OF HUMOR. HE H