 In 1978, Burns led the Rutgers Scarlet Knights to their first bowl game, the now-defunct Garden State Bowl.Raised in Roselle Park, New Jersey, Burns played baseball, basketball and football at Roselle Park High School, serving as captain of the football and basketball teams, and winning state championships in both of those sports.Burns played football as a quarterback at Rutgers University for four years, from 1945 to 1948.