 He was selected by the Detroit Lions in the 1960 NFL Draft and played professional football as a split end and wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for the Detroit Lions (1960–1968), the Baltimore Colts (1968), and the Atlanta Falcons (1969–1970).He won the NFL Rookie of the Year Award in 1960 and played in three Pro Bowls, after the 1960, 1962, and 1963 seasons.During an 11-year NFL career, he caught 356 passes for 5,696 yards and scored a total of 36 touchdowns.