Tom Dempsey’s 63-yard field goal still sits near the top of the Saints’ highlight reel, and on Day 63 of the countdown to New Orleans’ season opener, it’s the obvious choice for the Saints Play of the Day.
The timing makes it even better: the Saints are set to open their 2026 season against the same team Dempsey beat that day, the Lions. And for longtime fans, the kick itself is one of those stories that never really leaves the franchise. A few years ago, the Saints put together a strong video feature on the play and the tension around it from the people who were there to watch it unfold.
The details are part of what made it legendary. Dempsey was born without toes on his right foot, and he kicked with a custom box-toed boot that the NFL later banned. Then, with the game hanging in the balance and only seconds left in 1970, he drilled a 63-yarder to beat Detroit and set a new NFL record.
That mark lasted 43 years and helped spur multiple rule changes. It wasn’t topped until Matt Prater hit a 64-yard field goal at altitude for the Denver Broncos. Later, Justin Tucker pushed the standard to 66 yards for the Baltimore Ravens in 2021, and Cam Little broke that again with a 68-yarder for the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2025.
For Saints fans, though, the kick meant more than a line in the record book. In 1970 - and for much of the 1970’s - the team was losing plenty of games and didn’t have many Pro Bowlers or signature moments. Dempsey’s boot gave the fan base something to cling to, and because it lasted so long, it only grew bigger with time.
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Among the group are players with very different paths, from a defensive end who flashed major production in college to a massive interior lineman with unusual length and a track record of disrupting kicks. There is also a power back trying to carve out space in a crowded room and a familiar name with a football pedigree, which gives this camp class a little extra intrigue as the Saints sort out who can turn a strong preseason into a real roster push. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Fans Just Got A Brutal First Look At The Roster Bubble
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Still, the interesting part is how much of the roster remains unsettled once you get past the obvious names. Projections have carved out 38 players as likely safe, but training camp and the preseason will decide whether the rest can survive the bubble, and that list is exactly where the Saints summer gets most revealing. Injuries or a strong camp can change the picture quickly, which is why the final few spots may end up telling the real story of this roster. [Read more 🡒]
Tyler Shough Just Tapped Into Something Bigger For Saints Fans
With training camp for the 2026 NFL season still ahead, Tyler Shough found a way to make a Saints impression without throwing a pass. He took part in the Ice Bucket Challenge to support ALS awareness, a gesture meant to bring fresh attention back to research and the people living with the disease while also showing the kind of leadership that matters beyond the field.
For New Orleans fans, the timing and symbolism matter almost as much as the act itself. Shough's involvement fits neatly with the Saints' long-running "No White Flags" spirit and the legacy of Steve Gleason, giving the team another reminder that its identity has always been about more than wins and losses. [Read more 🡒]