A product of Notre Dame University where he earned All-American honors as a pass receiver in 1943, he joined the Cleveland Browns in 1946 after a three-year stint with the U.S. Marines and was a star defensive end for four seasons. The Browns won the All-American Conference title in each of his four years with them and went undefeated in 1949. Went to the New York Yanks of the NFL in 1950, played the 1951 season with Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League, then returned to the NFL to play with the Washington Redskins in 1952.