Tom Dempsey, the New Orleans Saints placekicker who set an NFL field goal record that stood for more than four decades, has contracted the novel coronavirus during the outbreak at the Lambeth House senior living center in Uptown New Orleans, his daughter said Monday.

Ashley Dempsey said her 73-year-old father — who is battling Alzheimer’s disease and dementia — developed symptoms late last week of COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the virus. He was tested for coronavirus and evaluated at Tulane University Medical Center.

Dempsey's oxygen levels were adequate, but because he can’t feed himself, the hospital decided to send him back to the nursing care section at Lambeth House, which is on Broadway Street near the Mississippi River.

Ashley Dempsey said her father's positive test result came back Saturday. His symptoms have been relatively mild, and his caretakers have been able to control his fever with Tylenol.

“His appetite has been good,” Ashley Dempsey said. “He’s doing OK.”

+2 Coronavirus hits close to home for Saints legend Tom Dempsey, resident of Lambeth House In the years he has been battling Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, Tom Dempsey — the legendary New Orleans Saints placekicker who set an NFL …

Since the COVID-19 pandemic was detected locally last month, more than 50 residents at Lambeth House have been infected, despite the facility’s efforts to contain the illness to the independent living section where it was first detected. As of Monday, at least 13 residents stricken stricken with the illness had died.

Dempsey, like all his neighbors, has been cut off from his family since shortly after the outbreak started. Lambeth House had prohibited non-essential visitors by the time the first COVID-19 case there was publicly announced on March 10. The state has since ordered all senior facilities to maintain that restriction through at least April 10, though that hasn’t stopped COVID-19 outbreaks from occurring in at least 19 additional nursing homes, according to officials.

Dempsey’s COVID-19 diagnosis will hit close to home for Saints fans.

Before the team’s beleaguered fans dared to even dream about the playoff appearances and Super Bowl title that have since come, one of the franchise’s high points was when Dempsey booted a last-second, 63-yard field goal to propel the Saints to a 19-17 victory over the Detroit Lions at the old Tulane Stadium on Nov. 8, 1970.

The kick set a distance record that no other NFL player would surpass until December 2013, when — in Denver’s thin air — placekicker Matt Prater beat the mark by a single yard.

Born without toes on the right foot that kicked the historic field goal and without fingers on his right hand, Dempsey became nationally known. Having turned in an All-Pro performance as a Saints rookie in 1969, he seemed destined to kick in New Orleans for his entire career.

Yet, as he would later tell the Associated Press, his NFL record made him the toast of the town, and he let himself fall out of shape for his third campaign with the Saints in 1971. After making just one of eight preseason field goal attempts, the Saints cut Dempsey.

He played in nine more NFL seasons with four other teams before retiring in 1979. Dempsey — who was born in Milwaukee and grew up in California — returned to the Crescent City with his wife, Carlene, and they raised three children here.

Dempsey also worked as an oilfield salesman, coached football at Archbishop Rummel High School and managed a car dealership for Tom Benson, who bought the Saints about 15 years after Dempsey’s world-famous kick.

“This is home for him,” Ashley Dempsey said of New Orleans. “This has always been home.”

Dempsey first spoke publicly about his dementia and the treatment he was receiving for it in 2012. He had already moved into Lambeth House’s memory care facility by the time his record had been broken.

Dempsey is one of a few Saints personalities who have been affected by the COVID-19 epidemic. Saints coach Sean Payton tested positive earlier this month and last week said he was doing well fighting the illness.

Former Saints quarterback Bobby Hebert's father, Bobby Hebert Sr., died Saturday at the age of 81 after contracting the disease.

Ashley Dempsey said the family has been video chatting with her father daily. He is in good spirits, and his caretakers have been doing an "unbelievable job," Ashley Dempsey said.

"He's a fighter," Ashley Dempsey added. "He's been fighting his whole life."

Coronavirus clusters reported at 20 Louisiana nursing homes, LDH says in new report Louisiana Department of Health officials identified nine new coronavirus clusters at Louisiana nursing homes and senior complexes on Sunday, b…