[1] At Temple University, Hanson scored the winning touchdown on a 76-yard punt return to lead the team to a 7–6 victory against heavily favored Bucknell College, tackling future Hall-of-Famer Clarke Hinkle late in the game to preserve the win.
[5] Hanson went professional in 1931, playing for the Brooklyn Dodgers, before moving over to the Staten Island Stapletons for the next season.
On October 29, 1933, Hanson scored the first touchdown in Eagles franchise history in Green Bay against the Packers on a 35-yard pass from Roger Randolph "Red" Kirkman.
Traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1938, he was a teammate of Byron White, who would later serve as an Associate Justice on the United States Supreme Court.
[1] Hanson died in Philadelphia at the age of 62 at Einstein Medical Center and was survived by his wife, Delores.