[1] Burnham was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs with the 378th pick in the 1974 NFL draft.
[5][6] He traveled to Canada to join the Winnipeg Blue Bombers a day after being released by the Redskins.
He spent the 1980 season on injured reserve due to a knee injury suffered in training camp.
[9][11] Burnham is a member of the NFL Alumni Association and the current vice president for the Philadelphia chapter.
Burnham then acquired his Master of Science degree in counseling psychology from Bemidji State University in 1978.
[8] His son Bryan plays for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League.
[10] Lem's son Lewis played college football for the North Carolina Tar Heels.
[13] His daughter Shannon attended St. Francis College in Loretto, Pennsylvania on a basketball scholarship.