Steve Little

Steven Richard Little (February 19, 1956 – September 6, 1999) was an American professional football player who was a kicker and punter in the National Football League (NFL) for the St. Louis Cardinals. He is the third-highest drafted kicker in NFL history, behind Charlie Gogolak (6th, 1966) of Princeton and Russell Erxleben (11th, 1979) of Texas. Little was drafted higher than future NFL greats Ozzie Newsome and Todd Christensen.

Little was an All-American placekicker and punter during his years at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. He kicked an NCAA record-tying 67-yard field goal on October 15, 1977. That record has yet to be broken; it was set by Erxleben two weeks earlier on October 1, 1977, and is shared with Joe Williams of Wichita State (October 21, 1978).

Early life and college Little played high school football for Shawnee Mission South High School in Overland Park, Kansas, During his final year at Arkansas Little played under head coach Lou Holtz. He did kick a 51-yard field goal, the fifth-longest in Cardinals history, but also missed ten extra points in 51 attempts. Little's problems off the field also caused him issues with the team; with a new head coach in 1980, he was released six games into the season on October 16, replaced by kicker Neil O'Donoghue.

Hours after his release by the Cardinals, Little was involved in a high-speed single car accident that saw his car hydroplane and slam into a signpost on Interstate 270 at Ladue Road; reportedly, he had been drinking at the time of the crash. The accident broke his neck and left him a Little died in 1999 at age 43, having spent years as a quadriplegic in hospice in Little Rock, Arkansas, where he lived with and was cared for by his brother Gene Little.