McLinton was selected by the Redskins in the sixth round of the 1969 NFL/AFL draft. He spent his entire 10-year career with the Redskins, playing in 127 games. He was a key contributor on the 1972 NFC championship team. He finished his career with four interceptions and one touchdown.
McLinton died on October 31, 1980, at the age of 33 from complications resulting from massive injuries sustained after being struck by a passing vehicle on Interstate 295 in southeast Washington after stopping to help a stranger change a flat tire.[1] He was a 1966 graduate of Harper High School in Atlanta, GA and went on to attend Southern on a football scholarship. He graduated May 1969 with a bachelor's degree in Marketing & Management.
