[2] In 1975, Hoeneß was signed by the second-division club VfB Stuttgart, making his debut on 13 September 1975 (Matchday 7) in a 0–2 home defeat against 1.

Hoeneß made his Bundesliga debut on 6 August 1977 (Matchday 1) in a tense 3–3 draw against his future club, FC Bayern Munich.

He scored his first Bundesliga goal on 31 August (Matchday 5) in a 1–2 home defeat against Hamburger SV, netting the interim equalizer for 1–1.

A powerful striker known for his heading ability, he scored in double digits in five seasons during his time with the Bavarians, totaling 127 goals in 288 league matches in the German top division alone.

However, after a strong season with Bayern – scoring 15 league goals and winning the double – he was selected for the squad that competed in the 1986 FIFA World Cup in Mexico.

Hoeneß was called up by team boss Franz Beckenbauer for a game against the Switzerland in Basel on 9 April 1986, where he scored the "golden" goal.

[11] After retiring from active play, Hoeneß initially took on a position as PR manager with computer manufacturer Commodore International, which was a major sponsor of Bayern Munich at the time.

[12] He was responsible for the expiration of the sponsorship agreement with Bayern Munich in 1989 and, due to a strategic shift by the company, focused on other sports such as equestrianism, golf, tennis, and alpine skiing as well as event marketing.

[14] This was part of a professionalization strategy that included Daimler board spokesman Matthias Kleinert as a member of the VfB executive committee.

This resulted in a 1-2 defeat in a decider at Camp Nou during the first round of the 1992–93 UEFA Champions League, causing them to miss the group stage of the inaugural European Cup.

His use of Anglo-Saxon terms like "event", "marketing", and "merchandising" was seen as a poor fit with the traditional, down-to-earth values of Swabian culture, and he was accused of arriving late to work in the mornings.

Hoeneß was eventually replaced by his predecessor, managing director Ulrich Schäfer, who had served from 1976 to 1990 and resumed control of the club’s operations.

[17] In April 1997, Hoeneß ended his association with the television company and subsequently became vice-president of another Bundesliga club, Hertha BSC, after serving as a temporary replacement for the dismissed Carl-Heinz Rühl since March.

Following the club's promotion to the Bundesliga in the summer of that year, the team established itself in the top flight and qualified for international cup competitions seven times in twelve seasons under Hoeneß's leadership.

Dieter arrived at Bayern Munich as his brother departed, and Uli went on to have a lengthy career as a general manager and club president.