(AP) -- ST. CHARLES, Mo. (AP) -- A St. Louis man admitted that he fatally shot a man who had a brief career in professional football.

Twenty-two-year-old Jevone L. Little pleaded guilty Tuesday in the death of Brandon Joyce on Christmas Eve 2010. He pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, armed criminal action and attempting to sell a controlled substance.

Little said he shot Joyce during a drug deal that went bad. He will be sentenced Dec. 10.

Little is the third of four men charged in Joyce's murder to enter a plea. The fourth man's trial is scheduled Oct. 30.

Joyce's family denies he was involved in a drug deal.

Joyce played briefly with the Minnesota Vikings in 2009 and also was on the St. Louis Rams' off-season roster.

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Information from: St. Louis Post-Dispatch, http://www.stltoday.com

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