He was called the "Father of Maritime Football" by The Globe and Mail for his work as a coach at St. Francis Xavier University and his contributions to developing the Vanier Cup as a national championship.
Post-war, he resumed his career and played nine seasons as a centre in Canadian football with the Montreal Hornets (1945), Toronto Argonauts (1946), Ottawa Rough Riders (1947–1952) and Calgary Stampeders (1954), meriting four East all-star selections and the Jeff Russel Memorial Trophy as East MVP in 1950, a rare feat for a player at his position.
He won a pair of Grey Cups, with the Argonauts in 1946 and the Rough Riders in 1951.
Don served in Shearwater as the Base Physical Training and Recreation Officer for two years, and it was during this period that he coached the senior Shearwater Flyers football teams to Nova Scotia and Maritime championships in 1955 and 1956.
Loney headed the St. Francis Xavier X-Men football program from 1957 to 1973.