He played college football for the Miami Hurricanes, setting the school record for rushing yards, and was selected eighth overall in the 1979 NFL draft by the Cardinals.

In his first season, Anderson was named Offensive Rookie of the Year and received Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro honors when he set the Cardinals all-time record for rushing yards.

Anderson was named MVP of the latter, in which he played a central part in helping the Giants set the Super Bowl record for time of possession.

Anderson attended the University of Miami on a full athletic scholarship and earned a degree in Physical Education.

After a year and a half, Stump Mitchell emerged as the Cards' top running back, and the expendable Anderson was traded to the New York Giants in the middle of the 1986 season.

In 1989, Anderson become the top running back for Bill Parcells' ball control offense and was named NFL Comeback Player of the Year.

As a testament to the Giants' ball control strategy, their time of possession was double that of the Buffalo Bills, their opponents, in the first Super Bowl without a turnover.

He was a broadcast analyst with WFAN for the New York Giants, and he co-hosted three radio shows in St. Louis with former Cardinal teammates Theotis Brown, E.J.

Anderson was a frequent guest on The Billy Taylor Show in New York City and contributed to an in-season weekly column, Ask Ottis, in the Giants Insider publication.

In 2017, Anderson began working as the Vice President of Business Development for Metro Exhibits, selling trade show booths and services.