Before his senior season started, he suffered a cracked pelvis in a serious automobile accident; because at the time the redshirt option didn't exist, he went on to play with the injury.
[2] Newhouse had a remarkable college career, finishing as the University of Houston All-time leading rusher and breaking many of the school's records, some of which still stand: Back when the College All-Stars played the Super Bowl Champion from the year before, Newhouse scored a touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys.
Steelers assistant personnel director Bill Nunn and head coach Chuck Noll both had preferred him over Franco Harris, but Pittsburgh picked the latter 13th overall in the first round.
[5][6] Although he had the ability to play running back, he unselfishly made the switch to fullback in order to help the team as a rookie.
Newhouse was tough to bring down, "like trying to tackle a fire hydrant," at 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) and 209 pounds (95 kg), with arguably the largest thighs in the NFL (44 inches (110 cm) in circumference together).
He retired at the end of the 1983 season,[8] as the fourth all-time leading rusher in team history, after playing for 12 years.
After his football playing career was over, he spent several years with the Dallas Cowboys working in the player-relations department.