Bethune played college football for the Mississippi State Maroons (subsequently known as the Bulldogs) from 1957 to 1960.
[4] Bethune was selected in the 9th round of the 1961 NFL draft by the Chicago Bears, signing for them shortly afterwards.
[5] The Chicago Tribune described him as one of a number of "rangy, fast, agile" defensive backs drafted by the Bears that year.
[6] He played in the preseason for the Bears, getting ejected from one game for his role in a fist fight,[7] but was cut before the regular season began.
[9] However, Bethune signed with the AFL's Chargers to replace an injured Charlie McNeil in the defensive backfield,[10] and played the only games of his career in a major league, making ten appearances and intercepting three passes.