Ex-Nfl Lineman Little Dies, Called Great Person

Former NFL lineman John Little was remembered by friends and former coaches as a good player and a better person.

“I’m telling you the truth, he was some kind of football player,” said Phil Cutchin, who coached Little at Oklahoma State. “He was a monster, a heck of a football player. He was just as good a citizen as he was a football player.”

Little died of a heart attack in Hot Coffee, Miss., earlier this week.

Little came to Oklahoma State in 1965 as a tailback, but was converted into a lineman.

“He had great speed, good size and was a contact football player,” Cutchin said. “We decided he could help our team most by playing defensive end. He played bangup defensive end for OSU.”

The two-time All-Big Eight selection spent seven years in the NFL, with the New York Jets, Houston Oilers and Buffalo Bills.

“Magnificent person,” said former Oklahoma State sports information director Pat Quinn. “He was a keeper.”

Quinn said he still has a picture of Little on his desk.

“He always smiled, even after he put someone on the seat of his pants or got blood on his lips. He always smiled.”

Funeral details weren’t known.