He played in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos and the AFL's Kansas City Chiefs, which included the team that defeated the Minnesota Vikings in the fourth and final AFL-NFL World Championship Game.

He was mentored by Earl Meneweather who became California's first High School African American Head Football Coach in 1957.

He moved on to Merritt College before transferring to Humboldt State University, where he played football, basketball and track.

In 1966, although he was undersized for the position, he was moved to fullback after Gilchrist announced his retirement and led the team in rushing with 417 yards.

[3] On January 19, 1968, he was traded along with Goldie Sellers and a player to be named later to the Kansas City Chiefs, in exchange for a third (#75-Bob Vaughan) and fourth round (#102-Drake Garrett) draft choices.