How God Saved Former NFL Star from Suicide

Published: October 8, 2024

How God Saved Former NFL Star from Suicide

By Movieguide® Contributor

Former NFL defensive back Tra Battle joined the Sports Spectrum podcast to share the moment that changed his life forever.

Following his retirement from professional football, Battle found himself questioning his identity and contemplating suicide. At the moment he was about to follow through with his decision, he felt the Holy Spirit tell him to call Mark Richt, his coach at the University of Georgia.

“I can’t even get words out. I’m just sobbing, just bawling,” Battle said of that call. “And he says, ‘Tra, I don’t know where you are. I don’t know what’s going on, but I just need you to get to me.’ And the only words that I can say were, ‘I’m scared, Coach.’ I’m scared. Because I was.”

“And so, I drive over to his house and he opens the door. I fall into his arms and I’m just weeping,” he continued. “We’re just two grown men just sitting there weeping with each other. And he calls over the team chaplain, T. Settles, and he called over a couple of there teammates, and he buys pizza, and he’s just praying over me, speaking life into me. And in the moment I’m thinking, this feels great. Where has this been? But the truth of the matter is it was always there.”

That moment changed Battle’s life forever, and he credits his coach for showing him Christ’s love and helping him grow into the man he is now.

For more inspiring sports stories, check out Sports Spectrum.

Today, Battle uses his platform to help others through his Battle Solutions company.

“With years of experience in leadership and customer service, Tra is passionate about improving leadership capabilities for leaders and their teams. Additionally as a former professional athlete, he understands and promotes the importance of coaching individuals to directly impact the success of the entire team,” his website reads.

Whether it’s through life coaching, speaking or training, Battle wants to motivate “individuals, teams & organizations to reach their highest potential through real-world solutions.”