He played for the Arena Football League for the Detroit Drive in 1990 and 1991, leading them to a third consecutive league title in 1990 as the league's MVP. He was traded to the expansion Cincinnati Rockers before the 1992 season, and helped lead them to the playoffs in their inaugural season. However, he announced he would not return to the team in 1993, intending instead to focus on curing his gambling addiction, although other reasons have surfaced since then (referenced in the "extent of addiction" section below).