After a short stint in the U.S. Navy, Lund was selected in 1945 by the Cleveland Rams of the National Football League (NFL).

[2][3][4] As a sophomore in 1943 he became a primary halfback on Case's football team and was touted as an emerging triple threat man.

[6][7] In the summer of 1944, he won the U.S. long jump title at the Amateur Athletic Union track and field championships in New York City.

[8] Lund set school records in the long jump, with 23 feet and 7 inches, and the 100-yard dash, with a time of 9.7 seconds.

[6] Upon his discharge in the summer of 1946, Lund signed with the Cleveland Browns, a team under formation in the new All-America Football Conference (AAFC).

[15][16] He got off to a strong start playing alongside fullback Marion Motley, the team's primary running threat.

[19] He also worked as an engineer in the offseason at Thompson Products, an aerospace and automotive conglomerate based in Euclid, Ohio.

[6] Near the beginning of the 1947 season, Lund broke his left thumb crashing into the stands after returning an interception for a touchdown against the AAFC's Brooklyn Dodgers.