Floyd Little: Still Getting Awards

Floyd Little in his office at Manley Field House
(c) 2014 Brittany Jones

Floyd Little sits behind his desk at Manley Field House, dressed in a sharp black shirt and gray suit jacket. It's been nearly four decades since Little played football. A sly grin flickers on his face when he reminisces about his old playing days.

Little was a three-time All-American running back at Syracuse University, played for the Denver Broncos for eight years, and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010.  He can now add his recent Doak Walker Legends Award to his list of accomplishments.

The Doak Walker Legends Award is given to running backs who have exemplified great teamwork, sportsmanship, and leadership on the field, as well as in the community.

"For me to be named the 2014 Doak Walker Legends Award… Wow!" Little exclaims.

Walker was a Heisman Trophy winner, and Hall of Fame running back.  He played for the Detroit Lions for six seasons, winning won Rookie of the Year and two NFL championships.  Little says he has felt a special connection to Walker, having played the same position as him, and both were three-time All Americans and five-time Pro Bowlers.

"To reach those levels of accomplishment, that's quite significant," Little says.

"When I look at the list of people who won it before me, last year it was Jim Brown," Little says. "I mean look at Walter Payton, and you look at players that really epitomizes what the game is.  Just to be included in that mix it's significant."

Hall of Famer

Little says he felt very honored to have received the Doak Walker Legends Award.  But the honor that seems to mean the most to him is his induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

"When I got inducted into the Pro Hall of Fame, there are only 287 of us, 147 of us still alive; and of the 147, 25 are owners and coaches," Little says. "So when you look at a 50 year history of pro football hall of fame, I'm one of the 122 players that have been the best of the game.

These are things that are significant to me. I am able to be identified no longer as Floyd Little, but as Pro Football Hall of Famer Floyd Little."

Ernie Davis' influence

Little's career started right here at Syracuse University at Archbold Stadium.

He was heavily recruited, receiving 47 scholarship offers.  However it was Syracuse legend and Heisman Trophy winner Ernie Davis who persuaded him to go to Syracuse.

"Ernie Davis shows up at my house…," Little says as he reminisces about the night that changed his life.  "He was so impressive, good looking guy and tall, just everything anyone would want to be."

Davis, Little, and Syracuse University Football Coach Ben Schwartzwalder went out to eat in an attempt to get Little to come play football at Syracuse.

"We're sitting here looking at the menu, and there's steak and lobster. And he looks at me and he's like 'what's that I never had that. Why don't we order steak and lobster?' and I said 'ok sounds good.' So we do that and he says 'okay lets go talk.'

"So we went into the men's room and it's 35 minutes later and I'm looking at my watch and I'm like geez my steak and lobster must be getting cold. So I said 'Okay I'm going to Syracuse lets go eat,'" Little says.

"Little did I know three months later he would die; and that's the reason why I came to Syracuse because I gave my word to Ernie Davis that I would go to Syracuse."

Davis was drafted first overall by the Cleveland Browns in the 1962 NFL draft.  However, he never played a professional football game.  Davis was diagnosed with leukemia, and died on May 18, 1963.

"While he left this world at 23, I really wanted to not clone him but be able to be the person he wanted to be," Little says. "So I took on a lot of his traits and a lot of things he wanted to accomplish, and I tried to really do the things Ernie would have done if he had the chance to do it."

At Syracuse University Little earned the opportunity to wear the number 44, which was previously worn by Jim Brown and Davis.

"It wasn't any pressure that I felt that I had to live up to it," Little says. "But being considered with two of the best running backs to ever play at Syracuse in terms of running backs, I was a 44, and I tried to wear the number proudly and tried to do it proudly."

Back at SU

Some can say it's a coincidence that 44 years later Little returned to Syracuse University to become the Special Assistant to the Athletic Director.  It's been three years so far and Little says he believes this to be the best job that he has had.

"I'm just excited to be here," Little says happily. "For me, being back at Syracuse is a wonderful, wonderful experience; to just help influence the lives of all these young people I get a chance to connect with."

Little hopes his nine-year-old grandson Blaze will be on the gridiron at Syracuse University one day.

"He's the guy I've been asking since he was three, 'Where are you going to college?' and he can't even pronounce Syracuse. But now he can. And every time I ask him, he keeps asking me 'why do you keep asking me that? You know where I'm going. I'm going to Syracuse. I'm going to be just like you, Papi. I'm gonna shake and bake.'" Little expects his grandson will be here in about nine years, and hopes he will excel while wearing the number 44.

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