Ronnie Lott, you might have some company in NFL toughness lore. And it’s a long snapper.
Kevin McDermott, who snaps on field goals and punts for the Vikings, handled those duties seven times Thursday night against the Rams. Nothing to see here, right?
Well, McDermott did some of those without part of a pinky finger, ESPN’s Courtney Cronin reported.
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NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport followed up by reporting that McDermott needed 16 stitches in the finger and had to have surgery Friday morning to repair it even further.
McDermott and Lott actually have another thing in common. After going undrafted, McDermott spent the 2013 season with the 49ers.
No one knows exactly when McDermott lost part of the finger -- ProFootballTalk pointed out it likely happened on a second-quarter Bailey field goal, causing him to miss two special-teams snaps -- but the whole thing likely reminds Bay Area fans of Lott’s 1986 decision to have his broken pinkie amputated so he wouldn’t miss time in the upcoming season. The then-49ers safety made the All-Pro and Pro Bowl teams that season, and Lott went on to win two more Super Bowl titles in a Hall of Fame career that ran until 1994.
San Francisco 49ers
As for McDermott’s future, he’ll have a little time to recover before the Vikings’ next game, which isn’t until Oct. 8 against the Eagles. Regardless if he plays or not, he’s certainly already earned his teammates’ respect, as well as comparisons to an NFL legend.