Steve graduated from Lake Stevens High School in 1965. There he was a three-year letterman in football and basketball and earned first team all-league honors in both sports in his junior and senior years. He was also honored as team captain and Most Inspirational Player. After high school, he became part of the University of Washington (UW) Husky football program where he played defensive end during the 1965, 66, and 67 seasons. In 1967, he was named Everett Herald Male Athlete of the Year.

As a 6’ 5” 220 plus pound Husky footballer, he earned first team All-PAC 8 honors during both the 1966 and 67 seasons. Also in 1967, Steve was named the Husky team captain. In the spring of 1968, he was named the UW’s Athlete of the Year (the Brian Sternberg Award), named Honorable Mention to the Coaches All-American football teams and he played in the Coaches All-American Game and East-West Shrine Game. In the Shrine Game he was named Defensive Player of the Game.

In the 1968 NFL Draft, he was selected in the second round by the New York Jets and he played for the Jets from 1968 – 1973 except for 1971 when he gave up his career for a spiritual awakening. He rejoined the Jets in 1972 after missing football. He was with the Jets in 1969 when they won Super Bowl III. After his playing days with the Jets, he played with the Portland Storm of the World Football League in 1974 until the league folded after four games into the season. Then in 1975, before retiring from professional football, he played briefly with the B.C. Lions of the Canadian Football League.

Regarding his professional football career, Steve has stated … “I loved pro football. I loved the competitiveness of it, the pressure to be physical and come prepared. I liked to be tested and the adventure to produce something on the spot.”

In 2005, Steve was selected as one of the Everett Herald’s Top 50 Athletes from Snohomish County.