When Floyd Little finished his collegiate career at the University of Syracuse, he was known as the man who splintered the school rushing records of the great Jim Brown. Little was an all-purpose back equally adept at rushing, receiving and returning kicks and punts. In his three years at Syracuse, Little was a three-time All-American, and he amassed 4,497 all-purpose yards while crossing the goal line in 22 of the 30 games in which he played.
The Denver Broncos were thoroughly impressed by Little’s penchant for big plays and spectacular versatility. They made him the 6th overall pick of the 1967 AFL/NFL draft. Little captained the Broncos for the next nine years. He scored 63 touchdowns and set the team record for rushing with 6,323 yards. Little’s 12,157 all-purpose yards in 117 games makes him one of only seven NFL players to average more than one hundred yards per game for an entire career.
Little’s versatility is not limited to the football field. His extensive work with groups such as the United Negro College Fund and the March of Dimes garnered him the Brian Piccolo Award for Humanitarian Service from the YMCA, as well as the Byron White Humanitarian Award from the NFL Player’s Association.
The Denver Broncos were thoroughly impressed by Little’s penchant for big plays and spectacular versatility.