He first enrolled at Columbia Basin College before transferring to Brigham Young University.
Patera attended Cleveland High School in Portland, Oregon.
[1] He transferred to Brigham Young University and was a letterman in football and track for the BYU Cougars.
He set school records in football for most points scored and longest field goal with a 53 yarder.
[2] Patera was selected by the San Francisco 49ers of the NFL with the 449th pick in the 1968 NFL/AFL draft.