Deion Sanders Reflected On His 1997 Suicide Attempt And The Way Kirk Franklin's Music Saved His Life

This article mentions thoughts of suicide.

Famed retired football player and current Colorado Buffaloes head coach, Deion Sanders, is opening up about the way music saved his life.

On the latest episode of Deion and Rocsi Diaz's talk show We Got Time Today, multi-Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Kirk Franklin stopped by to chat about life and current pop culture events. During their discussion, Deion revealed how Kirk's music helped him while he was going through a difficult time in his life.

"We need you, though," Deion told Kirk. "I needed you. When I first got saved, really, a lot of church folk didn't tell me the truth. I thought everybody was perfect. I thought everybody was unflawed."

"When I started listening to your music, I found myself. I was suicidal. I'm driving my car off a highway, to go to commit suicide, and I'm listening to 'Conquerors.' It was like double-mindedness at its finest hour."

Ultimately, Deion added that his suicide attempt failed because "the Lord kept" him as he ran his car off the highway in Cincinnati, Ohio. He cited the artist's music for helping him get back on his feet and get into a better headspace.

In 1997, after playing in a baseball game for the Cincinnati Reds, Deion attempted to drive his Mercedes off a cliff, which had a 30–40-foot drop. He didn't suffer any life-threatening injuries. He admitted to being at a low point in his life, dealing with his first divorce and the possibility of losing his children.

"I needed someone like you that I could understand...that I could relate to."

Deion went on to praise Kirk for being his authentic self while still being a prominent figure of faith.

It was beautiful to see such an open and honest discussion take place so publicly.

For more, check out the full We Got Time Today episode on Tubi at 8 p.m. ET on Dec. 24. Until then, you can watch the clip below:

Dial 988 in the United States to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The 988 Lifeline is available 24/7/365. Your conversations are free and confidential. Other international suicide helplines can be found at befrienders.org. The Trevor Project, which provides help and suicide-prevention resources for LGBTQ youth, is 1-866-488-7386.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline is 1-800-950-6264 (NAMI) and provides information and referral services; GoodTherapy.org is an association of mental health professionals from more than 25 countries who support efforts to reduce harm in therapy.