[3] He played for the Northwestern football team in 1915 and 1916 and became a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity.

[19] In March 1918, Driscoll enlisted in the United States Navy during World War I and was given the rank of petty officer.

Due to protests from some opponents over Driscoll's professional status, he was not allowed to play in a number of early games.

On November 16, 1918, Driscoll scored six touchdowns, including an 80-yard run, and kicked five extra points in the Naval Station's 54–14 victory over a Rutgers team starring Paul Robeson.

[21][22][23] The 1918 Great Lakes football team compiled a 6–0–2 record and defeated the Mare Island Marines by a 17–0 score in the 1919 Rose Bowl.

In the Rose Bowl, he drop-kicked a field goal and threw a touchdown pass to George Halas.

"[27] He appeared in 39 games for the Angels and compiled a .264 batting average and .380 slugging percentage with three doubles, four triples, and a home run.

[28] In the fall of 1919, Driscoll and George Halas (along with Paul Des Jardien and Bert Baston) played for the Hammond All-Stars, which became one of the founding teams in the National Football League one year later.

He drop-kicked a field goal from the 35-yard line, returned a punt 50 yards for a touchdown, and kicked three extra points.

[29] Four days later, Hammond lost to the Canton Bulldogs who won the professional championship; Driscoll's fumble of the opening kickoff set up a touchdown run by Jim Thorpe for the game's only scoring.

[30][31] In September 1920, Driscoll signed to play with and captain the Racine Cardinals (so named because the team's home field, Normal Park, was located on Racine Avenue in Chicago) in the newly formed American Professional Football Association (later renamed the National Football League).

As quarterback and coach, Driscoll led the 1922 Chicago Cardinals to an 8–3 record, good for third place in the NFL.

[64][65] The following week, he kicked a 40-yard field goal for the only points of the game in a 3–0 victory over Green Bay.

The Cardinals' decision was prompted by an offer Driscoll received for a much higher salary to play in C. C. Pyle's American Football League; the Cardinals could not meet the higher salary and sold him to the Bears in hopes Driscoll would sign there and remain in the NFL.

[81][2] From 1924 to 1936, Driscoll was the athletic director and basketball and football coach at St. Mel High School in Chicago.

[84] The Marquette football team performed poorly in four years under Driscoll, compiling records of 3–6 in 1937, 1–7 in 1938, 4–4 in 1939, and 2–6–1 in 1940.

During Driscoll's tenure as an assistant coach with the Bears, club won four NFL championships in 1941, 1942, 1943, and 1946.

In February 1956, Driscoll was hired by George Halas as his successor as head coach of the Chicago Bears.

In 1958, Halas returned as the Bears' head coach, with Driscoll becoming administrative vice president with responsibilities for "methods and organization in the competitive phases of the club's operations.

"[88] Driscoll remained employed by the Bears in an administrative capacity, serving as team vice president.

[89] In June 1963, he was appointed director of the Bears' research and planning unit, including responsibility for game films and scouting charts.