The jersey of 22-year-old Cam Little is on display at the NFL Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.
What’s the reason? A moment during a game against the Raiders in Las Vegas during Week 9 of the 2025 NFL season.
advertise
Jacksonville Jaguars kicker Little got the call before halftime and kicked a 68-yard field goal, two yards beyond the NFL record set by Justin Tucker in 2021.
Well played. In just his second season in the league as a pro, Little made history.
However, if you go back and retrace the journey, you’ll realize that this probably never happened.
“I have no plans to play football. I’m a footballer through and through,” Little told BBC Sport.
“A friend of mine invited me to football practice. At my high school, most of the time, the kicker was just a guy who was good at football and they would just let him go there and practice for a week and then he would go to the game.
advertise
“I didn’t even know how to put the pads on. I didn’t know what the rules of football were. I went out for the first practice and I just went out and kicked a ball. I didn’t even kick a ball.”
‘This isn’t for me…’ Why Little almost gave up
Eventually, Little played junior varsity football as a pitcher before being promoted to the varsity level.
Here, his story as an NFL kicker almost ends before it begins…again.
“I made my first bet in the game,” Little explained. “They put it on my head and I got slapped. So, two days later, I said: ‘I’m fine. I’ve had enough of football.’
advertise
“I told my dad I wanted to quit, told my coaches, and I was like: ‘This isn’t for me. I’m going to keep playing football. I really don’t want to play football.’
“My dad said, ‘I think you can really develop skills in this.’ So I talked to my head football coach and he said, ‘I agree with him. I don’t think it’s a smart move for you to quit.'”
Cam Little was selected in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL Draft [Getty Images]
Little spent the next season studying video of NFL kickers like former record-holder Tucker, then played for Arkansas in college before being drafted in the sixth round by the Jaguars in 2024.
advertise
“It all happened so fast,” he said. “One good opportunity after another started hitting me. I put myself in the right position at the right time, took advantage of them when I needed to, and here we are today.
“To go from a guy who didn’t even think he was going to play a professional sport, maybe not even play a college sport, to breaking a record that I never thought would be broken after Justin Tucker shot a 66. I mean, it’s pretty mental to think about that.
“I like to live humbly and think I don’t take this opportunity for granted. Like, it’s a really cool thing. But I also think it makes me hungry to break more records. I want to break every record with this team. I want to break every record in the NFL. I want to be here for it all.”
Coach Cohen’s Impact on Jacksonville
Jaguars hire executive vice president of football operations Tony Boselli (left) and head coach Liam Cohen (right) ahead of the 2025 season [Getty Images]
In the final week of the regular season, the Jaguars won their third division title in 26 years. They defeated the Tennessee Titans 41-7 and defeated the Houston Texans to move into first place in the AFC South.
advertise
In that game, Little scored the NFL’s first 67-yard field goal. He now owns two of the longest field goals in league history.
They won just four games last season and hired new head coach Liam Cohen and former player Tony Boselli as executive vice president of football operations.
Under their leadership, they achieved 13 wins and entered the play-offs with eight consecutive wins.
“The thing Coach Cohen stresses over and over again is getting 1-0 every week,” Little said.
“Whether it’s the team captain, the team leaders, the front office, the head coach or the coaching staff, everyone is on the same page.
advertise
“When you combine the three levels of the front office, the coaching staff, the captains and the leaders, you’re going to have success.
The Jaguars will now face the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Wild Card Round on Sunday at 18:00 GMT.
For Little, it was another special moment in his career.
“This is the first time in my career that I’ve been to a big playoff game – where it’s win or go home. So I think it creates a fun environment, not only for us to play but for the fans as well. It brings a side of Jacksonville that I’m excited to see.”