A native of Marcus Hook, he was an outstanding athlete at Chichester High School, where he played varsity basketball, was a state sprint champion in track and field and made the 1969 All-Delco football team. At Widener University, he set nine NCAA records and scored a touchdown in 25 onsecutive games. His career rushing average was 8.8 yards per carry, and he became famous for his end zone dances after scoring touchdowns. He played professional football in the NFL for the Houston Oilers, Atlanta Falcons and Washington Redskins and in the Canadian Football League for the Montreal Alouettes. He set seven team records in Houston and four in Atlanta and held the NFL record for punt return yardage when he retired. He was named to the All-NFL team in 1977 and 1983 and played in the Pro Bowl in 1975, 1977 and 1983. In 1994, he was named to the NFL's all-time team for its first 75 years as a return specialist. He is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame and continues to work for the Atlanta Falcons.