Larry Little

Little was born in Groveland, Georgia, on November 2, 1945, the second of six children. The family moved to Florida and he grew up in the Overtown neighborhood in Miami.{{Cite journal |last=Smith |first=Don |date=1993 |title=Larry Little |url=https://profootballresearchers.org/archives/Website_Files/Coffin_Corner/15-04-528.pdf |journal=The Coffin Corner |volume=15 |issue=4}}{{Cite news |last=Hines |first=Bea |date=December 16, 2018 |title=This Miami Dolphin has been giving back to his community |work=The Miami Herald |pages=SW7}} His mother was his greatest influence.{{Cite web |title=Behind the Bronze: Larry Little {{!}} Pro Football Hall of Fame |url=https://www.profootballhof.com/news/2010/12/news-behind-the-bronze-larry-little/ |access-date=2024-11-17 |website=pfhof |language=en}} As a child, his favorite team was the Baltimore Colts. He attended Booker T. Washington Senior High School in Miami, where he played football as a two-way lineman, starting in his junior and senior years.{{Cite web |last=Rosa |first=Poch de la |date=2023-01-19 |title=The Life And Career Of Larry Little (Story) |url=https://www.profootballhistory.com/larry-little/ |access-date=2024-11-17 |website=Pro Football History |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Larry Little (2023) - Florida High School Athletic AssociationHall of Fame |url=https://fhsaa.com/hof.aspx?hof=246 |access-date=2024-11-17 |website=fhsaa.com |language=en}}{{Cite news |last=Van Smith |first=Bill |date=July 10, 1977 |title=High School: Two Different Worlds to Littles |work=The Miami Herald |pages=250}}

He has been inducted into the Booker T. Washington High School Hall of Fame.{{Cite web |title=About Larry Little |url=https://www.larrylittle.org/about |access-date=2024-11-17 |website=Larry Little Gold Coast Summer Camp |language=en-US}} In 2007, Little was named by the Florida High School Athletic Association to its Team of the Century, to celebrate 100 years of high school football in Florida.{{Cite news |last=Fernandez |first=Andre C. |date=December 13, 2007 |title=Four players named to 'Century' team |work=The Miami Herald |pages=370}} In 2016, as part of its Hometown Hall of Fame program, the Pro Football Hall of Fame honored Little with a plaque presented to Booker T. Washington.{{Cite news |last=McPherson |first=Jordan |date=May 26, 2016 |title=Hall of Famer Little is Honored at alma mater, Booker T. Washington |work=The Miami Herald |pages=B3}} In 2023, he was inducted into the Florida High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame.

Through the efforts of his high school coach Alkin Hepburn, Little was offered a football scholarship to Bethune-Cookman University (then Bethune-Cookman College) where he played on the Bethune–Cookman Wildcats team from 1964 to 1967. He played on both the offensive and defensive lines at the respective tackle positions. He was a team captain, and a three-time All-Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) selection.{{Cite web |title=Larry Little {{!}} Pro Football Hall of Fame |url=https://www.profootballhof.com/players/larry-little/ |access-date=2024-11-17 |website=pfhof |language=en}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.blackcollegefootballhof.org/inductees/larry-lit|title = Larry Little | BCFHOF}}

His 1966 teammates named him their most valuable player and outstanding defensive player.{{Cite news |date=January 2, 1967 |title=B-CC Homes Six Wildcats To All-Conference |work=The Orlando Sentinel |pages=36}} Little was also named a Little All-American by the Ebony College Scoreboard in 1966.{{Cite news |date=December 26, 1966 |title=Larry Little's Big Man On Football Field |work=The Orland Sentinel |pages=28}} He was inducted into the Bethune-Cookman Hall of Fame in 2012.{{Cite web |title=Larry Little - Hall of Fame |url=https://bcuathletics.com/sports/hall-of-fame/roster/larry-little/1558 |access-date=2024-11-17 |website=Bethune-Cookman University Athletics |language=en}}

Little's defensive line coach, and fellow Bethune-Cookman Hall of famer, Cyril Lloyd "Tank" Johnson was Little's favorite coach at any level. Johnson had played at Bethune-Cookman (class of 1958), served as its football team's assistant coach/defensive coordinator (1961-78), and became the school's athletic director (1972-91).{{Cite web |last=Lieser |first=Jason |title=Cyril Lloyd 'Tank' Johnson, a pioneering athletic director at Bethune-Cookman, dies at 77 |url=https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/sports/2012/05/24/cyril-lloyd-tank-johnson-pioneering/7264425007/ |access-date=2025-05-10 |website=The Palm Beach Post |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Lloyd "Tank" Johnson * (2001) - Hall of Fame |url=https://bcuathletics.com/hof.aspx?hof=59 |access-date=2025-05-10 |website=Bethune-Cookman University Athletics |language=en}}

Little went undrafted in 1967. After the draft, he received free agent offers from Miami, San Diego, and Baltimore. He signed as a free agent with the American Football League's San Diego Chargers because they offered him the largest signing bonus ($750).{{cite web |url=https://www.news-journalonline.com/sports/20180427/willis-larry-little-knows-theres-life-beyond-draft |title = Shunned by the draft? Larry Little knows the feeling}} After playing for San Diego in 1967 and 1968, coach Sid Gillman grew frustrated with Little's not controlling his weight. He was traded to the AFL's Miami Dolphins for cornerback Mack Lamb before the 1969 season,{{Cite web |last=Lowitt |first=Bruce |date=July 31, 1993 |title=Big honor for Larry Little |url=https://www.tampabay.com/archive/1993/07/31/big-honor-for-larry-little/ |access-date=2024-11-17 |website=Tampa Bay Times |language=en}} when he was named an AFL All-Star. "I didn't particularly like the trade," Little said in the January 1974 issue of SPORT.{{cite web |title=Untitled |url=http://www.thesportgallery.com/sport-stories/1974jan-miami.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110120003003/http://www.thesportgallery.com/sport-stories/1974jan-miami.html |archive-date=January 20, 2011 |access-date=October 31, 2010}} "The Dolphins weren't much then."{{Cite magazine |last=Unk |first=Jesse |date=2020-07-31 |title=Top 10 Miami Dolphins Players of All Time |url=https://www.si.com/nfl/best-ranked-players-in-miami-dolphins-history |access-date=2024-11-17 |magazine=Sports Illustrated |language=en-US}} In his first year with Miami, although an All-Star, the Dolphins' record was a poor 3-10-1.

Future Pro Football Hall of Fame coach Don Shula became the Dolphins' head coach in 1970. Among other things, he helped Little control his weight. Of the 11 years he played for the Dolphins (1969-1980), Little played ten of them under Shula (1970-1980), missing only four games in 11 seasons, despite numerous injuries. He was considered an intimidating force run blocking and a superb pass blocker.

Little was a key contributor to the success of the Dolphins' punishing running attack of the early and mid-1970s, which featured Larry Csonka, Mercury Morris, and Jim Kiick. Shula, a coach on the NFL 100th Anniversary All Time Team,{{Cite web |title=NFL 100 |url=https://www.nfl.com/100/all-time-team/roster |access-date=2024-11-17 |website=NFL.com |language=en-US}} said Little played a major role in the Dolphins success as both a pass blocker and run blocker. Little was a member of the 1972 Dolphins championship team that went 17-0, which established a record for team rushing yards at the time (2,960 yards in a 14 game season{{Cite web |title=1972 Miami Dolphins Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/mia/1972.htm |access-date=2024-11-18 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}). The Dolphins' rushing average per year in the 1970s (2,372 yards rushing per year) led the NFL in that decade. Little played under offensive line coach Monte Clark, whom Little acknowledged at his Hall of Fame induction.{{Cite web |title=Clark, ex-Lions coach and longtime NFL assistant, dead at 72 |url=https://www.nfl.com/news/clark-ex-lions-coach-and-longtime-nfl-assistant-dead-at-72-09000d5d812b0f37 |access-date=2024-11-17 |website=NFL.com |language=en-US}}

In 1973, he became to first guard to be paid a $100,000 annual salary.

From 1971 through 1975, Little was named first team All-Pro five times, and again in 1977; and was second team All-Pro in 1978 (and named second team in 1977 by the Associated Press and United Press International).{{Cite web |title=Larry Little Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/L/LittLa00.htm |access-date=2024-11-17 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}} He was All-AFC five times. He appeared in five straight NFL Pro Bowls from 1971 to 1975, and appeared in the 1969 AFL All-Star Game.{{Cite web |title=Larry Little - Future Football Legends |url=https://futurefootballlegends.com/Player/Larry_Little/ |access-date=2024-11-17 |website=futurefootballlegends.com}} He was named the National Football League Players Association's AFC Offensive Lineman of the Year three times (1970-1972). He was named to the NFL 1970s All-Decade Team at guard, along with Joe DeLamielleure.{{Cite web |title=NFL's All-Decade Team of the 1970s - OFFENSE {{!}} Pro Football Hall of Fame |url=https://www.profootballhof.com/news/2010/01/news-nfl-s-all-decade-team-of-the-1970s-offense/ |access-date=2024-11-17 |website=pfhof |language=en}}

He also served as head football coach of his alma mater, from 1983 to 1991, winning Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championships in 1984 and 1988. He was head coach at North Carolina Central University (NCCU) from 1993 to 1998. At least four of his NCCU players, Shawn Gibbs, Adrian Jones, Trei Oliver, and Dawson Odums went on to become college football coaches.{{Cite web |last=Berry |first=Mia |date=2022-12-12 |title=Coaching legacy, brotherhood took root at North Carolina Central under Hall of Famer |url=https://andscape.com/features/coaching-legacy-brotherhood-took-root-at-north-carolina-central-under-hall-of-famer/ |access-date=2024-11-17 |website=Andscape |language=en-US}} In addition, Little served as head coach of the Ohio Glory of the World League of American Football (which eventually became the now-defunct NFL Europe), for one year.

In 1993, Little was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, with the NFL's all-time winning coach Don Shula{{Cite web |title=NFL 100 |url=https://www.nfl.com/100/originals/100-greatest/game-changers-30 |access-date=2024-11-17 |website=NFL.com |language=en-US}} as his presenter. In 2013, he was inducted into Black College Football Hall of Fame.{{Cite web |date=2021-05-08 |title=Larry Little's Prime Time Was 38 Years Ago |url=https://bcuathletics.com/news/2021/5/8/larry-little.aspx |access-date=2024-11-17 |website=Bethune-Cookman University Athletics |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2013-01-16 |title=Larry Little to Enter Black College Football Hall of Fame |url=https://bcuathletics.com/story.aspx?filename=larry_little_to_enter_black_college_football_hall_of_fame&file_date=1-16-2013 |access-date=2024-11-17 |website=Bethune-Cookman University Athletics |language=en}} He has also been inducted into the Florida Black Colleges Football Hall of Fame, and the Bob Hayes Hall of Fame (2019). In 1978, he was inducted into the Florida Sports Hall of Fame.{{Cite web |title=Florida Sports Hall of Fame {{!}} Larry Little |url=https://flasportshof.org/fshofmember/larry-little/ |access-date=2024-11-17 |language=en-US}}

On December 16, 1993, Little was added to the Miami Dolphins Honor Roll. In 2011, Little was among the inaugural class entering the Miami Dolphins Walk of Fame.{{Cite web |title=Miami Dolphins Unveil Six Former Players to Walk of Fame {{!}} Miami Dolphins Communications Portal |url=https://media.miamidolphins.com/press_releases/miami-dolphins-unveil-six-former-players-to-walk-of-fame/ |access-date=2024-11-17 |language=en-US}}

In 1999, he was ranked number 79 on The Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Football Players.{{cite news|title=Sporting News Top 100 Football Players|newspaper=Democrat and Chronicle|date=August 15, 1999|page=3D|access-date=November 10, 2016|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4376402/sporting_news_top_100_football_players/|via=Newspapers.com}}{{Cite web |title=The Sporting News 100 Greatest Players of All-Time (1999) |url=https://futurefootballlegends.com/Sporting_News_100/ |access-date=2024-11-17 |website=futurefootballlegends.com}}

Miami's City Commission honored Little by naming a street after him.{{Cite web |last=Grossman |first=Hillard |date=2023-01-12 |title=Dolphins' legend Larry Little has Miami street named after him by Miami City Commission |url=https://www.islandernews.com/news/dolphins-legend-larry-little-has-miami-street-named-after-him-by-miami-city-commission/article_10a40c24-92b7-11ed-8090-43c4b2059e95.html |access-date=2024-11-17 |website=IslanderNews.com {{!}} Locally Owned & Operated |language=en}}

During his playing career and after, he had a boys camp for underprivileged children, the Gold Coast Summer Camp,{{Cite web |title=Larry Little Gold Coast Summer Camp |url=https://www.larrylittle.org/ |access-date=2024-11-17 |website=Larry Little Gold Coast Summer Camp |language=en-US}} eventually backed by the United Way. He was also listed in Who's Who in Black America.

Little's younger brother, David Little, was a linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers.{{Cite web |title=Obituary: David Little / Former Steelers linebacker |url=https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2005/03/22/Obituary-David-Little-Former-Steelers-linebacker/stories/200503220221 |access-date=2024-11-17 |website=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |language=en}}

In 2007, Little was named to the Florida High School Association All-Century Team which selected the Top 33 players in the 100-year history of high school football in the state of Florida's history.

File:Little Webb Kuech Dwight.png, up on the Honor Roll, along with Bob Kuechenberg and Richmond Webb.]]

File:1993 Larry Little.jpg]]

{{CFB Yearly Record Start | type = coach | team = | conf = | bowl = | poll = no }}

{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead

| name = Bethune–Cookman Wildcats

| conf = Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference

| startyear = 1983

| endyear = 1991

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship =

| year = 1983

| name = Bethune–Cookman

| overall = 4–4–1

| conference = 1–3

| confstanding = T–3rd

| bowlname =

| bowloutcome =

| bcbowl =

| ranking = no

| ranking2 = no

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship = conference

| year = 1984

| name = Bethune–Cookman

| overall = 7–3

| conference = 4–0

| confstanding = 1st

| bowlname =

| bowloutcome =

| bcbowl =

| ranking = no

| ranking2 = no

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship =

| year = 1985

| name = Bethune–Cookman

| overall = 6–4

| conference = 3–1

| confstanding = 2nd

| bowlname =

| bowloutcome =

| bcbowl =

| ranking = no

| ranking2 = no

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship =

| year = 1986

| name = Bethune–Cookman

| overall = 3–8

| conference = 2–3

| confstanding = 5th

| bowlname =

| bowloutcome =

| ranking = no

| ranking2 = no

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship =

| year = 1987

| name = Bethune–Cookman

| overall = 4–7

| conference = 2–3

| confstanding = 4th

| bowlname =

| bowloutcome =

| bcbowl =

| ranking = no

| ranking2 = no

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship = conference

| year = 1988

| name = Bethune–Cookman

| overall = 5–6

| conference = 4–2

| confstanding = T–1st

| bowlname =

| bowloutcome =

| bcbowl =

| ranking = no

| ranking2 = no

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship =

| year = 1989

| name = Bethune–Cookman

| overall = 5–5

| conference = 3–3

| confstanding = T–3rd

| bowlname =

| bowloutcome =

| bcbowl =

| ranking = no

| ranking2 = no

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship =

| year = 1990

| name = Bethune–Cookman

| overall = 4–7

| conference = 1–5

| confstanding = 6th

| bowlname =

| bowloutcome =

| bcbowl =

| ranking = no

| ranking2 = no

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship =

| year = 1991

| name = Bethune–Cookman

| overall = 4–6

| conference = 3–3

| confstanding = T–3rd

| bowlname =

| bowloutcome =

| bcbowl =

| ranking = no

| ranking2 = no

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal

| name = Bethune–Cookman

| overall = 45–48–1

| confrecord = 23–23

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead

| name = North Carolina Central Eagles

| conf = Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association

| startyear = 1993

| endyear = 1998

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship =

| year = 1993

| name = North Carolina Central

| overall = 6–5

| conference = 5–3

| confstanding = 4th

| bowlname =

| bowloutcome =

| bcbowl =

| ranking = no

| ranking2 = no

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship =

| year = 1994

| name = North Carolina Central

| overall = 6–5

| conference = 5–3

| confstanding = T–3rd

| bowlname =

| bowloutcome =

| bcbowl =

| ranking = no

| ranking2 = no

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship =

| year = 1995

| name = North Carolina Central

| overall = 5–6

| conference = 4–4

| confstanding = 5th

| bowlname =

| bowloutcome =

| bcbowl =

| ranking = no

| ranking2 = no

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship =

| year = 1996

| name = North Carolina Central

| overall = 8–3

| conference = 5–3

| confstanding = T–4th

| bowlname =

| bowloutcome =

| bcbowl =

| ranking = no

| ranking2 = no

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship =

| year = 1997

| name = North Carolina Central

| overall = 4–7

| conference = 4–3

| confstanding = T–4th

| bowlname =

| bowloutcome =

| bcbowl =

| ranking = no

| ranking2 = no

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship =

| year = 1998

| name = North Carolina Central

| overall = 4–6

| conference = 3–4

| confstanding = 7th

| bowlname =

| bowloutcome =

| bcbowl =

| ranking = no

| ranking2 = no

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal

| name = North Carolina Central

| overall = 33–32

| confrecord = 26–20

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record End

| overall = 78–80–1

| bowls = no

| poll = no

| polltype =

}}

• List of American Football League players

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons}}

• {{Profootballhof|130}}
• [https://profootballresearchers.org/archives/Website_Files/Coffin_Corner/15-04-528.pdf Larry Litte at Professional Football Researchers, Larry Little, Don Smith, The Coffin Corner 15(4) (1993)]{{Footballstats |nfl=larry-little |espn= |cbs= |yahoo= |si= |pfr=L/LittLa00 |rotoworld= }}

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{{North Carolina Central Eagles football coach navbox}}

{{Super Bowl VII}}

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{{NFL1970s}}

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{{Pro Football Hall of Fame members}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Little, Larry}}

Category:1945 births

Category:Living people

Category:American football offensive guards

Category:American Football League players

Category:Bethune–Cookman Wildcats football coaches

Category:Bethune–Cookman Wildcats football players

Category:Miami Dolphins players

Category:North Carolina Central Eagles football coaches

Category:Ohio Glory coaches

Category:San Diego Chargers players

Category:American Football League All-Star players

Category:American Conference Pro Bowl players

Category:Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees

Category:Booker T. Washington Senior High School (Miami, Florida) alumni

Category:Sports coaches from Miami

Category:Coaches of American football from Florida

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Category:African-American coaches of American football

Category:20th-century African-American sportsmen

Category:21st-century African-American sportsmen