He registered 53 receptions for 888 yards and 8 touchdowns in his career as a part-time starter at wide receiver.
As a junior in 1981, he had his best season, recording 28 receptions (second on the team), 377 receiving yards (second on the team), 13.5-yard average (sixth on the team) and 4 receiving touchdowns (led the team).
As a senior, he collected 10 receptions (tenth on the team), 263 receiving yards (third on the team), 26.3-yard average (led the team) and one touchdown. In the 1982 Gator Bowl, he had 2 receptions for 36 yards, one receiving touchdown and one carry for 65 rushing yards.[1]
In his eight seasons, McKinnon caught 194 passes for 3,012 yards and 22 touchdowns. He also returned 129 punts for 1,191 yards and three touchdowns, and scored a rushing touchdown. He caught 31 passes for 555 yards and seven touchdowns during the Bears' championship season in 1985.
McKinnon missed the entire 1986 season with a knee injury.[4]
After spending the 1986 season on injured reserve, McKinnon returned in 1987 and scored on a 94-yard punt return in the season opener against the New York Giants. In Week 7 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he scored again on a 65-yard punt return touchdown.
His best season was in 1988, when he caught 45 passes for 704 yards and three touchdowns, while also returning 40 punts for 405 yards and a franchise record two touchdowns (this record was later surpassed by Devin Hester in the 2006 season). He went on to catch four passes for 108 yards and a touchdown in Chicago's 20-12 postseason win in a game known as the Fog Bowl.
At the time of his retirement, McKinnon's 1,191 punt return yards were the second-highest total in Chicago franchise history. As of 2019[update], he held many playoff franchise records, including yards per reception and yards per game (17.3 and 43.1, min 20 receptions), receiving touchdowns (4 career; 2 in one season tied with Bernard Berrian),[5] and most postseason games with a touchdown reception (3, tied with Willie Gault).[6]
Dallas Cowboys
On March 3, 1990, the Dallas Cowboys signed McKinnon as a Plan B free agent.[7] He appeared in 9 games with 7 starts, making 14 receptions for 172 yards and 2 touchdowns. He was released on November 14.[8]