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The novel coronavirus has spread rapidly throughout the nation, hitting vulnerable populations like the elderly harder than most. That group includes big figures in New Orleans Saints lore such as the legendary Tom Dempsey, whose NFL-record 63-yard field goal at the old Tulane Stadium stood for 43 years. On Monday, the Times-Picayune’s Ramon Antonio Vargas reported that Dempsey tested positive for the coronavirus.
Dempsey, 73, has been a resident of the New Orleans-based Lambeth House Retirement Community, one of many nursing homes battling coronavirus infections. Because he is battling both Alzheimer’s and dementia, his family and the Tulane University Medical Center (which tested him for the coronavirus) agreed that he should continue to stay at Lambeth House.
Vargas added that Dempsey’s family reports he has so far dealt with just mild symptoms of the coronavirus, and that he has responded well to initial treatment. Still, it’s a very serious situation, which the families of other former Saints players can speak to.
Bobby Hebert Jr. lost his father, Bobby Hebert Sr., after testing positive for the coronavirus. Hebert Jr. played for both the Saints and the Atlanta Falcons during his 11-year NFL career and currently works as an analyst for WWL Radio in New Orleans.
Saints coach Sean Payton said last week that he was clear of infection after previously testing positive himself, though he’s remaining careful to stay at home during this public health crisis. With greater availability of testing raising the total number of cases daily, it feels like it’s only a matter of time until more members of the Saints family are affected by the coronavirus.
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