Leonard Little Leonard Antonio Little ( born October 19 , 1974 ) is a former American football defensive end for the St Louis Rams of the National Football League ( NFL ) . Little played college football for the University of Tennessee , and was recognized as an All - American . He was drafted by the Rams in the third round of the 1998 NFL Draft , and played his entire twelve - year professional career with them . Early years . Little attended Asheville High School in Asheville , North Carolina , where he played both linebacker and wide receiver . At AHS , he was a three - year starter . For his senior year , Little was named a " Super Prep " , " Blue Chip " , " Prep Football Report " as well as a First - team All - American . In November , 2005 , his high school retired his # 30 jersey . College career . Little played three seasons at University of Tennessee , where he started every game at middle linebacker during his senior season , leading the team in tackles ( 87 ) and sacks ( 8 . 5 ) . He was first - team All - America and first - team All - Southeastern Conference in his senior season . He appeared in the first seven games of his junior season at defensive end , tallying 33 tackles , 8 . 5 sacks , and five tackles for losses , also blocking one field goal and forcing four fumbles . As a sophomore , he started every game at left defensive end and recorded 62 tackles and a career - high eleven sacks . He played one season for Coffeyville Community College in Coffeyville , Kansas . Little graduated from Tennessee with a bachelor ' s degree in psychology . Professional career . Pre - draft . Little measured 6 - 3½ , 237 pounds and ran the 40 - yard dash in 4 . 48 seconds . Little was expected to be a first - round draft choice , but his " in - between " size left teams not sure if he would be a linebacker or a defensive end in the NFL . St . Louis Rams . The St . Louis Rams picked Leonard Little as the 4th pick in the 3rd round of the 1998 NFL Draft , the 65th overall pick . The Rams made a last moment trade to the 65th pick on concerns that the Steelers would take Little with the 66th pick . When Rams coach Dick Vermeil called , Little was being congratulated by Bill Cowher , the Pittsburgh coach , on being drafted by the Steelers . He signed a 3 - year , $ 1 . 2 million contract on July 2 , 1998 , with a $ 400 , 000 signing bonus . Little began his NFL career as a linebacker , donning uniform number 57 . As a gunner on kickoff and punt coverage Little made eight tackles . He was inactive for four games before being placed on the non - football injury list due to legal issues surrounding his drunk driving accident . The NFL suspended Little for 8 games of the 1999 season . The suspension cost Little $ 125 , 000 , half his seasonal salary . He returned to the Rams at mid - season and performed mostly on special teams with a season - high four special teams tackles vs . the New York Giants on December 19 , 1999 , ending the season with nine special teams tackles . He also would spell Rams defensive ends Kevin Carter and Grant Wistrom and was in the game for Wistrom for the play known as " The Tackle " in Super Bowl XXXIV . In 2000 , he played at the defensive end position , coming into games to play left defensive end in passing situations , with starting end Kevin Carter " reducing " down to left defensive tackle . He also spelled right defensive end Wistrom . Little added 20 pounds with weight training and extra eating to help him make the switch and in that role Little had 5 sacks and totaled 17 tackles . He also had 18 tackles on special teams in 2000 . On April 24 , 2001 , Leonard Little agreed to a one - year tender offer of $ 512 , 000 , the minimum level for a restricted free agent . That season he changed his jersey number to 91 and was a pass - rush specialist for the NFC Champion Rams . Little would enter games in passing situations in place of starting left defensive end Chidi Ahanotu . In that role , Little led the Rams with 14 . 5 sacks , 3rd in the NFL . Little had nine tackles ( five solo ) , three QB pressures , and one sack in Super Bowl XXXVI . On the first play of the New England Patriot game - winning drive Little brushed the ball but could not dislodge it from Tom Brady , who kept the drive alive by completing a short pass . Little also continued his role as a special teamer , making 11 tackles . On March 4 , 2002 , Little signed a five - year $ 17 . 5 million contract . That year Little earned the starting left defensive end job and performed very well , despite the fact he was considered small for a " base " defensive end in the NFL . He played the run well and upgraded his play against the pass as well . Rams defensive line coach Bill Kollar said , " He ' s become an every - down player , he ' s doing a good job in the running game , and his pass rush is better . He recorded 12 sacks ( 6th most in the NFL ) and a franchise - record nine forced fumbles for the season ( surpassing Deacon Jones ' s six in 1968 ) . Little ' s ability to strip quarterbacks of the ball was noted by Sports Illustrated ' s Paul Zimmerman who picked Little as the " best in the business to go for the strip " . He played notably in the season finale against the San Francisco 49ers by recording nine tackles ( five solo ) , one QB pressure , a season - high 2 sacks , and a career - high three forced fumbles . The following year he was named an All - Pro and Pro Bowl selection ; he had 12 . 5 sacks , third in the NFC ( fourth in the NFL ) , six forced fumbles and an interception . Against the Minnesota Vikings on November 30 , 2003 , Little had eight tackles ( six solo ) , a career - best four sacks , three QB pressures , and two forced fumbles . Vikings offensive coordinator Scott Linehan said that Little " wrecked the game plan , just wrecked it . " In addition to the four sacks , Viking offensive right tackles were called for four penalties attempting to block Little . For his efforts Little was named the NFC Defensive Player of the Week . In 2004 , Little started all 16 games and recorded just 7 sacks , however , the down year was attributable to being double - teamed or " chip - blocked " on the majority of passing downs . " They never leave him alone , " Rams coach Mike Martz said . " Very seldom is he single blocked nd if he is , it ' s a quick throw . Opponents have great respect for him " . Little added , " It ' s been the first year where they ' re just constantly chipping me . . . Last year , they ' d do it off and on , but not as often as now . " . Despite the fewer sacks Little was voted as an alternate to the Pro Bowl . Little also scored his first two NFL touchdowns in 2004 , he picked up four fumbles and returned two of them for scores . On September 11 , 2005 , against the 49ers he had nine tackles ( four solo ) , 2 . 0 sacks , and two forced fumbles . He continued his fast start , with four sacks in the first six games but slumped after the death of his brother , Jermaine , who was murdered in Nashville , Tennessee , on October 18 , 2005 . " . . . Leonard ' s struggling , " interim coach Joe Vitt said . " He ' s grieving right now , and our football team — everybody here , is lending our support to him . " . Little missed two games and did not record a sack in the next five games . He ended with 5 . 5 sacks and two forced fumbles over the final three games and to lead the Rams with 9 . 5 sacks and four forced fumbles in 2005 . In Week 11 of the 2006 season , Little signed a 3 - year $ 19 . 5 million contract extension that included a $ 6 . 1 million signing bonus . Little started all 16 games and led the team with 13 . 0 sacks ( tied for second in the NFC , tied for fifth in the NFL ) , seven forced fumbles and also recorded a career - high of 58 tackles and was again a Pro Bowl alternate . Little sprained his big toe when his left foot was caught in the turf in a 22 - 3 loss at Baltimore on Oct . 14 , 2007 . On November 5 , 2007 , Little was placed on injured reserve , ending his season with only one sack , and had surgery that week to repair the torn ligament in his left big toe . Little agreed to restructure his contract to remain with the Rams . He was due a $ 7 . 17 million roster bonus that would have counted as $ 9 . 5 million against the Rams ' 2008 salary cap . The restructuring converted the roster bonus to a signing bonus , which meant it would be spread over the last two years of the contract , essentially cutting the cap number by nearly $ 3 . 6 million and resulting in a $ 5 . 9 million cap number for Little in 2008 . In 2008 , Little was again slowed by injuries , this time a hamstring injury in the season opener , played in 14 games , starting just five . Often , he was used in passing situations similar to his role in 2001 . He was second on the Rams in sacks with six and he also forced two fumbles , giving him a career total of 32 . Little had two sacks against Buffalo on September 28 , 2008 . For the 2009 season , Little totaled 6½ sacks to lead the team for the sixth time in his career . He started 13 games at left defensive end and was relativey healthy — compared to the previous two seasons . However he did miss two games with a knee injury . NFL . com ' s Greg Cosell described one of Little ' s plays versus the Jacksonville Jaguars as , " Little 36 - yard interception return TD was an unbelievable read by Little . He read the flare action by Jones - Drew and the throw by Garrard — a spectacular individual play " . During the 2009 season , Little has dropped hints that he may retire after the season . In the off - season Little , an unrestricted free agent , accepted and then canceled a meeting with the New Orleans Saints to discuss the possibility of signing with the defending Super Bowl champions . Although Little has not made an announcement , it is presumed that he has retired from football . Little earned $ 31 . 55 million in his twelve NFL seasons . and led his team in sacks six times ( 2001 , 2002 , 2003 , 2005 , 2006 , 2008 ) and had four seasons of twelve or more sacks . Little retired on December 15 , 2010 . Off - field issues . Manslaughter conviction . After leaving a birthday party in 1998 , Little crashed into and killed Susan Gutweiler in St . Louis , Missouri . When tested , his blood alcohol level measured 0 . 19 percent , a level in excess of the statutory level of intoxication ( 0 . 08 ) in the state of Missouri . Little received four years probation and 1 , 000 hours of community service . On January 18 , 2003 , with charges dating back to 1999 , Little was charged with communicating threats and making harassing calls according to the Charlotte - Mecklenburg police department . Little ' s attorney , Scott Rosenblum , said the charges were filed after Little and his former girlfriend ended their relationship . Rosenblum added , " We don ' t think this case is going anywhere . It was groundless from the beginning " . On April 24 , 2004 , he was arrested again for Driving while intoxicated after being stopped by The Ladue Police Department for driving 78 in a 55 miles per hour zone on Interstate 64 . At the time he had red eyes , smelled of alcohol and failed three roadside sobriety tests . He later admitted drinking alcohol to the police . After being convicted of misdemeanor speeding but acquitted of DWI , Little was sentenced to two years ' probation on May 6 , 2005 .