[2] McFarland attended Colorado State University to play basketball and join the track team as a long-jumper.
He lettered in each sport three times and was part of the Rams 1961 Skyline Conference championship team in basketball.
After being drafted by the San Francisco 49ers, McFarland opted to use his final season of eligibility to join the football team and play while finishing his undergraduate degree.
[4] McFarland was selected in the 18th round of the 1961 NFL draft by the San Francisco 49ers despite not having played football yet in college.
He finished his professional career with 45 receptions for 682 yards and four touchdowns in 63 games played.