Carried off the field in a stretcher, he is cut from the team, vilified in the press, and faces additional legal troubles due to a questionable paternity lawsuit.

Arnie manages to find him a starting position for the Parma Panthers of the Italian Football League for meager compensation.

Rick accepts the job, glad to get away from the negative press and his legal troubles in the United States, but wary of living in Italy, where he doesn't know the language and where American football draws little attention as compared to the NFL.

The Parma Panthers have only two other Americans playing on the team – halfback Slidell "Sly" Turner, who ends up leaving early in the season for family reasons, and safety Trey Colby.

The Panthers win their first game with Rick, then lose a couple for various reasons, including the loss of his American teammate and injury.