Archer played for the Sacramento Surge of the WLAF in 1992, throwing for 2,964 yards (NFL Europa single season record) and leading them to a World Bowl championship, where he was named game MVP. In 1993 he headed to the Canadian Football League (CFL) and the Sacramento Gold Miners (part of the league's United States expansion) where in 1993 he threw for 6,023 yards, still the fifth most in any CFL season (Doug Flutie of the Calgary Stampeders threw for even more yards that year.) He threw for 3,340 yards for Sacramento in 1994. He played with the San Antonio Texans in 1995, and the Ottawa Rough Riders in 1996. After the Rough Riders folded, he was drafted by the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the dispersal draft. He decided to not play in Saskatchewan as the contract offer was too low and retired instead. He spent the 1997 season as a CFL television analyst and returned to the CFL with the Edmonton Eskimos in 1998. His final game was the Western Final playoff game against the Calgary Stampeders with Jeff Garcia at quarterback. Calgary won and went on to win the Grey Cup. Archer retired after that game and is now the color analyst for the Atlanta Falcons alongside Wes Durham and ACC college football.
In his five seasons in the CFL he completed 1,388 of 2,434 passes (57%) for 20,671 yards with 71 interceptions and 120 touchdown passes.
He is now doing color commentary for ACC football's regional broadcasts, replacing Richard "Doc" Walker. He also co-hosts the afternoon show "Archer & Bell" on WQXI (AM)/790 The Zone in Atlanta.