Born in Elgin, Illinois, he attended Elgin High School and played college football at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign.

He played for the Chicago Bears, the Brooklyn Lions, the Dayton Triangles, the Frankford Yellow Jackets, and the Chicago Cardinals.

Earl was the son of Benjamin Harold Britton and Edna May Tanner.

He was a first cousin to music educator Allen Perdue Britton.

This biographical article relating to an American football running back born in the 1900s is a stub.