I was never a fan of Syracuse, because I just did not know anything about the college or any of their sports programs, until….. when I was in Jr. High or early high school, I saw my Dad watching a football game on television one Saturday afternoon and noticed a “backfield runner” of weight under 200 pounds and shorter than 6 feet height. He was running over, around, and through guys quite a bit larger than he! Floyd Little was his name, and his team was Syracuse, not a household name at any of the homes I usually visited!
By the time this player had graduated from college, he had played varsity ball the maximum three years at that time and had put up the following numbers: Sophomore—874 yards and 9 touchdowns on 157 rushes, plus 17 receptions for 257 yards and one TD; Junior—14 touchdowns and 1065 yards on 193 carries, plus 21 catches for 1 TD and 248 yards; Senior—811 yards and 12 scores on 162 rushes, plus 86 yards and 2 touchdowns on 13 receptions.
He never received the Heisman Trophy, though many thought he should have, but did finish in the top five his final two years! And, he was “All-American” three years running! (pun intended)
I “sort of” lost interest in this player as I finished high school and entered college, but then started noticing him again, as #44 became the 6th over-all pick in the 1967 AFL-NFL Draft and then played nine seasons in Denver, where he was “Team Captain” all nine seasons—even his rookie year!
Little picked up the nickname of “The Franchise,” when his signing seemingly led to the team’s staying in Denver and building Mile High Stadium.
When he retired in 1975, he was the league’s 7th alltime leading rusher and was a leading punt return man and “combined yardage” leader year-in-and-year-out! As a “rusher,” most experts say he was second only to O. J. Simpson, and as an “all-purpose” runner/receiver, he was second to no one!
In 1984 Little was a charter member of the Broncos’ RING OF FAME and was noted as the “smallest back to lead the league in rushing since WWII.”
From 1968 to 1973, he rushed for more yards and had more yards from scrimmage (rushing and receiving) than any running back in the NFL!
1975—His number “44” was RETIRED by the Denver Broncos, and in 2005 by the Syracuse Football Program. Jim Brown, Ernie Davis, FLOYD LITTLE (A bronze statue honors these three by the practice facility.), and eight other distinguished players had worn #44 for Syracuse and were all honored!
It should be noted that Mr. Little was not only an athlete but also a scholar, who graduated #40 in a class of 140 law students at the University of Denver Law School.
1983—He was inducted in the College Football Hall of Fame.
In 2009, Floyd Little was a finalist for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame and was voted in on February 6, 2010. He was #44 as a player, and that was the year of the 44th Super Bowl!
NFL Commissioner, Roger Goodell, upon hearing the news of #44’s passing, summed up the life of Floyd Little rather succinctly when he said, “FLOYD LITTLE was not only a Hall of Fame running back; he was a Hall of Fame person. Faith, Family, and Football were the pillars of his life.”
I am glad to say that I was privileged to have really noticed #44 when I did—both times!
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