37 Facts About Leonard Little

Leonard Antonio Little was born on October 19,1974 and is an American former professional football player who was a defensive end for the St Louis Rams of the National Football League.

Leonard Little was selected by the Rams in the third round of the 1998 NFL draft, and played his entire twelve-year professional career with them.

Leonard Little attended Asheville High School in Asheville, North Carolina, where he played both linebacker and wide receiver.

Leonard Little played a single season at Coffeyville Community College in Coffeyville, Kansas, before going to play three seasons at University of Tennessee, where he started every game at Middle Linebacker during his senior season, leading the team in tackles and sacks.

Leonard Little was first-team All-America and first-team All-Southeastern Conference in his senior season.

Leonard Little appeared in the first seven games of his junior season at defensive end, tallying 33 tackles, 8.5 sacks, and five tackles for losses, blocking one field goal and forcing four fumbles.

Leonard Little graduated from Tennessee with a bachelor's degree in psychology.

Leonard Little was expected to be a first-round draft choice, but his "in-between" size left teams not sure if he would be a linebacker or a defensive end in the NFL.

Leonard Little signed a 3-year, $1.2 million contract on July 2,1998, with a $400,000 signing bonus.

Leonard Little began his NFL career as a linebacker, donning uniform number 57.

Leonard Little returned to the Rams at mid-season and performed mostly on special teams with a season-high four special teams tackles vs the New York Giants on December 19,1999, ending the season with nine special teams tackles.

Leonard Little added 20 pounds with weight training and extra eating to help him make the switch and in that role Leonard Little had 5 sacks and totaled 17 tackles.

Leonard Little had 18 tackles on special teams in 2000.

Leonard Little would enter games in passing situations in place of starting left defensive end Chidi Ahanotu.

In that role, Leonard Little led the Rams with 14.5 sacks, 3rd in the NFL.

Leonard Little continued his role as a special teamer, making 11 tackles.

On March 4,2002, Leonard Little signed a five-year $17.5 million contract.

That year Leonard 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.

Leonard Little played the run well and upgraded his play against the pass as well.

Leonard Little recorded 12 sacks and a franchise-record nine forced fumbles for the season.

Leonard Little played notably in the season finale against the San Francisco 49ers by recording nine tackles, one QB pressure, a season-high 2 sacks, and a career-high three forced fumbles.

In 2004, Leonard Little started all 16 games and recorded just 7 sacks the down year was attributable to being double-teamed or "chip-blocked" on the majority of passing downs.

Leonard Little scored his first two NFL touchdowns in 2004, he picked up four fumbles and returned two of them for scores.

Leonard Little continued his fast start, with four sacks in the first six games but slumped after the death of his brother, Jermaine, who was murdered in Harriman, Tennessee, on October 18,2005.

Leonard Little missed two games and did not record a sack in the next five games.

Leonard Little ended with 5.5 sacks and two forced fumbles over the final three games and to lead the Rams with 9.5 sacks and four forced fumbles in 2005.

In Week 11 of the 2006 season, Leonard Little signed a 3-year $19.5 million contract extension that included a $6.1 million signing bonus.

Leonard Little started all 16 games and led the team with 13.0 sacks, seven forced fumbles and recorded a career-high of 58 tackles and was again a Pro Bowl alternate.

On November 5,2007, Leonard Little was placed on injured reserve, ending his season with only one sack, and had surgery that week to repair the torn ligament in his left big toe.

Leonard Little agreed to restructure his contract to remain with the Rams.

Leonard Little was due a $7.17 million roster bonus that would have counted as $9.5 million against the Rams' 2008 salary cap.

In 2008, Leonard Little was again slowed by injuries, this time a hamstring injury in the season opener, played in 14 games, starting just five.

Leonard Little was second on the Rams in sacks with six and he forced two fumbles, giving him a career total of 32.

Leonard Little had two sacks against Buffalo on September 28,2008.

Leonard Little pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and received a 90-day sentence of work in a city workhouse, four years probation and was ordered to undergo a thousand hours of community service.

On January 18,2003, with charges dating back to 1999, Leonard Little was charged with communicating threats and making harassing calls, according to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg police department.

Leonard Little later admitted that he drank alcohol to the police.