He played college football for the USC Trojans, where he was a twice unanimous All-American and the winner of the Heisman Trophy.
Born in Los Angeles, California, White graduated from San Fernando High School in San Fernando, where as a track and field athlete he won the 330-yard (302 m) low hurdles at the CIF California State Meet over future Olympic Gold medalist Andre Phillips.
In 1987, he rushed for a league-leading 1,387 yards and 11 touchdowns, which earned him a Pro Bowl selection and the NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award.
[5] In its third and fourth seasons, American Gladiators held special "Pro Football Challenge of Champions" shows.
[6] He also competed in sixth season's USC vs. Notre Dame alumni special where he also won, giving him a 3-0 record on the show.
In a 1987 Sports Illustrated article, he admitted to smoking marijuana daily at USC and snorted his first line of cocaine a few weeks before the 1977 Rose Bowl.
Even so, the Browns cut him in 1985 and he was picked up on waivers by the Los Angeles Rams, where he was reunited with John Robinson, his former college coach at USC.
[10] He is one of at least 345 NFL players to be diagnosed after death with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE),[11] which is caused by repeated hits to the head.