Dowdle attended Graham High School,[1] where he practiced football and track.
[2] Dowdle was selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the fifteenth round (179th overall) of the 1960 NFL draft.
On April 30, 1963, he was traded to the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for defensive back Jim Ridlon.
Dowdle was the San Francisco 49ers' starting middle linebacker for three seasons, until 1966 when he was passed on the depth chart by Ed Beard.
On May 18, 1967, he was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for a draft choice (not exercised),[4] but he refused to report to the team.