He won the Heisman Trophy in 1942 while playing for the Georgia Bulldogs, making him the first recipient from the Southeastern Conference.

They returned to the US, going to Youngstown, Ohio when he was two years old, joining his father Ignac (Ignatius), who operated a grocery store.

"[1] Sinkwich gained early recognition as a star athlete at Youngstown's Chaney High School.

He set the NCAA single-season total offense record of 2,187 yards[6] and led the Bulldogs to an 11–1 season in 1942, capturing the Southeastern Conference championship and a victory over UCLA in the 1943 Rose Bowl.

After his collegiate career, Sinkwich joined the United States Marine Corps; however, due to his flat feet, he received a medical discharge and proceeded to play with the Detroit Lions, who had selected him first overall in the 1943 NFL draft.

After his two years in Detroit, Sinkwich served in both the United States Merchant Marines and the United States Army Air Forces, but a knee injury received while playing for the Second Air Force Superbombers football team in 1945 hampered his playing career when he returned to professional football in 1946 and 1947.

"We've lost one of the great legends in football history," said then Georgia athletic director Vince Dooley.