After being in training camp for just one day, he disappeared and could not be located. Several days later he was found in Philadelphia. His agent, Craig Domann, assured the Vikings he would return. When his client did not show up, Domann admitted he was "perplexed" by Underwood's actions.
After telling Vikings coach Dennis Green that he wanted to pursue the ministry and had "no desire" to play football, Underwood was waived on August 11 and returned his $1.75 million signing bonus to the team.
After being released by the Vikings, Underwood was claimed on waivers by Miami. After meeting with Dolphins coach Jimmy Johnson, Underwood agreed to join the team and was slated to begin practice immediately. But the saga continued when Underwood missed a flight from Michigan to Fort Lauderdale and failed to show up for practice. During the Dolphins' off week, Underwood was arrested at the home of the mother of his twin 17-month-old children. Lansing police arrested him on a warrant accusing him of nonpayment of child support. A $500 bond was posted for him about three hours later, but Underwood refused to leave the jail for another hour, spending the time talking to another inmate.
Soon after his release, Underwood was found bleeding on a city street from what Lansing police described as a life-threatening injury. A police report said Underwood repeatedly yelled "I'm not worthy of God" before he used two steak knives to cut his throat at the Lansing home of his girlfriend and their 17-month-old twins. Underwood was saying, "You are Satan and you're going to hell" and "I want to be saved, I want to meet God," when officers arrived.
No one in the home saw him cut himself, but several people in the neighborhood saw him running down the street afterward. Physical evidence at the scene and witnesses' statements convinced police Underwood used the knife on himself.
Dimitrius' mother claimed that her son's apparent suicide attempt and erratic behavior were influenced by a "cult that's posing as a church" which Underwood began attending while he was at Michigan State. A young man who attended the same church as Dimitrius Underwood was then found dead in a cooler in a Michigan State dorm basement.
Underwood escaped from a psychiatric care facility in Florida. A police report claimed Underwood had stopped taking medicine for manic depression and did not wish to return to the facility.
"He wanted to be with his family in Philadelphia, so we thought it would be in his best interest to release him," Dolphins coach Jimmy Johnson said.
Soon after being picked up by the Dallas Cowboys, Dimitrius was picked up by a Texas state trooper for reckless driving. Underwood was clocked driving 95 mph in a 65 mph zone on Interstate 81. He was fined $1000 and his drivers license was suspended for 30 days. Underwood performed community service in Dallas and attended a driver improvement training course.
Underwood has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and thus is prone to making bad decisions, but is now on medication.
UPDATE: January 2001
CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. -- Troubled Dallas Cowboys defensive end Dimitrius Underwood tried to kill himself for the second time in about a year, this time by running into traffic twice on a busy suburban highway, police said. Underwood, 23, told police he "wanted to go to Jesus" after he was detained for kicking and denting a car and asking passers-by for a gun on Wednesday. Underwood was taken into custody and hospitalized, police said.