NFL whiff leads to lifesaving diagnosis for sales manager at Kentucky Derby

CBS Mornings How a whiffed NFL field goal helped save this Kentucky Derby horse expert's life .chip { background-image: url('/fly/bundles/cbsnewscore/images/chip-bgd/chip-bgd-cbs-mornings.jpg'); } By Kelly O'Grady Kelly O'Grady Co-host, "CBS Saturday Morning" and "CBS News 24/7 Mornings"; Correspondent, MoneyWatch Kelly O'Grady is a co-host of "CBS Saturday Morning" and "CBS News 24/7 Mornings" on CBS News 24/7, CBS News' national free streaming news network. She also a CBS News MoneyWatch correspondent. Read Full Bio Kelly O'Grady May 2, 2026 / 2:12 PM EDT / CBS News Add CBS News on Google When former New York Giants' placekicker Younghoe Koo completely missed the ball on a field goal attempt against the New England Patriots last December, the broadcasters weren't the only ones laughing.Mark Toothaker, a stallion sales manager for Spendthrift Farm in Lexington, Kentucky, was on the couch cracking up with his wife, Malory, about the whiffed field goal and consequential turnover. Then, he felt something strange."I felt a shock in my left arm, and then I never felt anything else. Had no pain, anything after that," Toothaker said.He didn't wake up for 25 minutes and was told at the hospital that he suffered a seizure. Doctors also revealed the shocking news that he had a brain tumor the size of a tennis ball.Luckily, his wife Malory is a nurse. "Just happened at absolutely the right place if it had to happen," Toothaker said. "I could have died, I mean, I'm on the road all the time."The tumor was benign, and Toothaker was home from the hospital after a whirlwind 24 hours.But as he prepares for this year's Kentucky Derby, where he's hoping to be in the winner's circle with Spendthrift's horse, Further Ado, he still thinks about Koo, and the whiff that led to the tumor's discovery. Toothaker reached out to the kicker, who made the Pro Bowl and led the NFL in points with Atlanta in 2020. "I'd love to have him come to the races, or come visit Spendthrift," T...