He played college football for the Santa Clara Broncos and was selected third overall by the Oilers in the 1971 NFL draft.

Pastorini spent his final three seasons in sparse appearances for the Los Angeles Rams and Philadelphia Eagles.

After retiring from the NFL, Pastorini pursued a career as Top Fuel dragster driver in the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA).

[citation needed] From 1971 through 1979, Pastorini missed only five regular season games, playing through broken ribs and even a punctured lung at times.

In the 1978 playoffs, Pastorini fared very well, helping lead the Oilers to wins over the Miami Dolphins and AFC East division champion New England Patriots.

The best replay angles NBC could provide of the play show Renfro clearly catching the ball and getting both feet in the endzone with no juggling.

Five weeks into the 1980 season with Oakland, after posting a 2–2 record, Pastorini broke his leg against the Kansas City Chiefs.

[3] Pastorini drove a Top Fuel dragster as part of the NHRA Winston Drag Racing Series in the mid-1980s.

[6] In January 2012, on The Jim Rome Radio Show, Pastorini recalled a story how then-Raider owner Al Davis completely blew him off in the locker room after a game.