Leonard Little

Infobox NFLactive
name=Leonard Little


width=
caption=
currentteam=St. Louis Rams
currentnumber=91
currentpositionplain=Defensive end
birthdate=birth date and age|1974|10|17
birthplace=Asheville, North Carolina
country=USA
heightft=6
heightin=3
weight=263
debutyear=1998
debutteam=St. Louis Rams
college=Tennessee
draftyear=1998
draftround=3
draftpick=65
pastteams=
* St. Louis Rams (1998-present)
status=Active
highlights=
* Super Bowl champion (XXXIV)
* First-team All-SEC (1997)
* First-team All-American (1997)
* All-Pro selection (2003)
* Pro Bowl selection (2003)
nfl=LIT610220

Leonard Antonio Little (born October 19, 1974 in Asheville, North Carolina) is an American football defensive end for the St. Louis Rams of the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Rams in the third round of the 1998 NFL Draft. He played college football at Tennessee.

High School

Attended Asheville High School in Asheville, North Carolina. Was a three-year starter and linebacker and wide receiver. Was a "Super Prep", "Blue Chip", "Prep Football Report" First-team All-America as a senior.

College career

He attended the University of Tennessee, where he started every game at middle linebacker during his senior season, leading the team in tackles (87) and sacks (8.5).cite web |url=http://www.stlouisrams.com/team/players/47399/ |title=The official site of the St. Louis Rams - Roster |format=HTML |accessdate=2008-03-07] During his junior and sophomore seasons, Little played defensive end, his position in the NFL since 2001. Ran a 4.4 forty coming out of college. He graduated with degree in psychology.

Professional career

Little began his NFL career as a linebacker, donning uniform number 57. He signed a 3-year $1.2 million contract on July 2, 1998. The contract included a $400,000 signing bonus. He was inactive for four games before being place on non-football injury list due to legal issues surrounding his drunk driving accident. The NFL suspended Little for 8 games of the 1999 season. The suspension cost Little $125,000, half his salary for the 1999 season. The following season he returned to the Rams at mid-season and performed mostly on special teams.

In 2000 he became defensive end, coming into games to play left defensive end in passing situations, with starting end Kevin Carter "reducing" down to left defensive tackle. In that role Little had 5 sacks.

On April 24, 2001, Leonard Little agreed to a one-year tender offer of $512,000, the minimum level for a restricted free agent. [St. Louis Post-Dispatch, April 25, 2001] That season he changed his number to 91 and was a pass-rush specialist for the NFC Champion Rams. Little would enter games in passing situations in place of starting left defensive end Chidi Ahanotu. In that role, Little led the Rams with 14.5 sacks which was 3rd in the NFL. Little had nine tackles (five solo), three QB pressures, and one sack in Super Bowl XXXVI.

On March 4, 2002, Little signed a five-year contract worth $17.5 million. In 2002 Little earned the starting left defensive end job and performed very well, despite the fact he was considered small for a "base" defensive end in the NFL. He played the run well and recorded 12 sacks (6th most in the NFL) and forced 9 fumbles. Had monster game in season finale vs. San Francisco with nine tackles (five solo), one QB pressure, season-high 2 sacks, and career-high three forced fumbles.

The following year he was an All-pro and Pro Bowl selection, with 12.5 sacks which ranked third in the NFC (fourth in the NFL) and an interception. Against the Minnesota Vikings on November 30, 2003, Little had eight tackles (six solo), career-best four sacks, three QB pressures, and two forced fumbles. Vikings offensive coordinator Scott Linehan said that Little "wrecked the game plan, just wrecked it." In addition to the 4 sacks, Viking offensive right tackles were called for four penalties attempting to block Little. In 2004 Little started all 16 games and recorded 7 sacks.

In 2005 Little led the Rams with 9.5 sacks and on September 11, 2005, against the 49ers he had nine tackles (four solo), 2.0 sacks, and two forced fumbles.

In Week 11 of the 2006, Little signed a 3-year $19.5 million contract extension that included a $6.1 million signing bonus. [Belleville News-Democrat, November 20, 2006] Little started all 16 games and led the team with 13.0 sacks (tied for second in the NFC, tied for fifth in the NFL).

Little suffered a toe injury in the 2007 season and he ended the season with only one sack. The injury required post-season surgery. Little agreed to restructure his contract to remain with the Rams. Little was due a $7.17 million roster bonus that would have counted as $9.5 million against the Rams' 2008 salary cap. The restructuring converted the roster bonus to a signing bonus, which meant it will be spread over the last two years fn the contract, essenitally cutting the cap number by nearly $3.6 million and resulting in a $5.9 million cap number for 2008. [St. Louis Post-Dispatch, February 27, 2008]

In all, Little has led the Rams in sacks during the 2001-2003, 2004, and 2006 seasons.

Off-field issues

Manslaughter Conviction

After a drunken birthday in 1998, Little crashed into and killed another motorist, Susan Gutweiler in St. Louis, MO. When tested, his blood alcohol level measured 0.19 percent, a level that exceeds the statutory level of intoxication of 0.08 in the state of Missouri. [ [http://www.moga.mo.gov/statutes/C500-599/5770000012.HTM Section 577-012 Driving with excessive blood alcohol co ] ] Little received 90 days in jail, four years probation and 1000 hours of community service. [ [http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/thenetwork/news/2000/01/27/cnnsicomprofile_little/ CNNSI.com - The Network - CNNSI.com Profile: Tragedy haunts Little - Friday January 28, 2000 11:06 AM ] ]

econd arrest

Six years later, Little was again arrested for drunk driving and speeding. [ [http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/rams/2004-04-26-little-charged_x.htm USATODAY.com - Little in deep trouble after another arrest for DWI ] ] The probable cause statement filed by police said Little had bloodshot and watery eyes, smelled of alcohol and failed three sobriety tests.cite web |url=http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=1790240 |title=ESPN - Little charged with felony DUI, speeding - NFL |format=HTML |accessdate=2008-03-07] Because of Little's 1999 guilty plea to involuntary manslaughter in his drunken-driving crash case, prosecutors charged him as a persistent offender. This made it a felony case. Little was acquitted of driving while intoxicated, but was convicted only of the misdemeanor speeding charge. [ [http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/rams/2005-05-06-little-probation_x.htm USATODAY.com - Little gets probation; judge bars him from drinking ] ]

References

External links

* [http://www.stlouisrams.com/team/players/47399/ St. Louis Rams bio]