One Alabama man’s road to the NFL was almost ended after a confrontation at a parking lot party.

DeMarcus Ware played football for Auburn High School, eventually going on to play at Troy University where he was a two-time All Sunbelt Conference selection.

During the 2005 NFL Draft, he was selected by the Dallas Cowboys with the 20th overall pick in the first round.

His career was capped Saturday with his induction into the Professional Football Hall of Fame.

And he gave an induction speech that won’t soon be forgotten.

At the ceremony, he talked in particular about the life changing moment that fueled and inspired his professional career.

While visiting home during his time at Troy, Ware went to a party that very well could have killed him.

“My uncle was in his car and, without warning, was knocked across the head with a gun,” Ware said. “A knife dropped to the ground and I picked it up. And when I looked up, all I could see was the potential shooter’s eyes and a gun barrel pressed against my head. All I heard was my family say, ‘Don’t kill him.’

“There was an eerie silence after which I simply said, ‘This isn’t me,’ and I dropped the knife. At that moment I knew God gave me a second chance and I had to do something with it. That was my turning point. The memories of those parking-lot lights and the sounds of those screams, ‘Don’t kill him,’ became the fire that empowered me. You can imagine how many years that night echoed in my head.”

ALL Glory goes to GOD!!! Gold Jacket Ceremony ? pic.twitter.com/T7PzRQnBOG

— D-Ware (@DeMarcusWare) August 5, 2023

Ware said that he used football to rid himself of negativity.

“When I trained, I was motivated by the memories of those parking lot lights,” he said. “And when I ran onto the field and the crowd cheered, those memories of those screams began to fade.

“Every sack I made helped to ease the memory of that frightful night and replaced it with positive energy.”

Austen Shipley is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News.