He played college football for the Tulsa Golden Hurricane and was the runner up for the Heisman Trophy in 1965.

He finished his three seasons at Tulsa with 261 receptions for 3,334 yards and 32 touchdowns, and was enshrined in the school's athletic hall of fame in 1984.

He also caught a 28-yard touchdown pass in the Dolphins' Super Bowl VII win over the Washington Redskins.

He owned 28 The Athlete's Foot sporting goods stores before selling them in 1990, and worked in an investment firm.

In 1994, he actively considered a run for the United States House of Representatives to succeed Jim Inhofe in Oklahoma's 1st congressional district when Inhofe decided to run for the United States Senate[4] but he ultimately decided to support the candidacy of another conservative Republican former NFL star, Steve Largent.