Deion Sanders says wife attacked him

Story by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution 

Written by Joel Provano

Photo by Collin County Sheriff Department

The estranged wife of Hall of Fame cornerback Deion Sanders was arrested Monday night after he accused her and a friend of assaulting him in front of his children.

The former Atlanta Falcons and Dallas Cowboys star posted on Twitter Monday night: "Pray for me and my kids now! They just witnessed their mother and a friend jump me in my room. She's going to jail n I'm pressing charges!"

Later he tweeted: "I'm sad my boys witnessed this mess but I warned the police department here that she was gone try n harm me and my boys. This is on my mama."

Pilar Sanders, 38, was booked into the Collin County, Texas, jail Monday night on a misdemeanor family violence charge, according to jail records. Bond was set at $264.

In an interview with Dallas television station KXAS, Sanders said "My kids, they are scared for their life. They just saw two women jump their dad in his own house, in his room. It's sad.

"I got locks on my doors right now," he said. "Is somebody going to have to die? Is it going to be me before the court does something and get this woman out of my house? It's absurd."

The couple married in 1999. Deion Sanders filed for divorce last year. Pilar Sanders sued Deion for $200 million in March, alleging in two suits an assault and libelous comments posted online. She claimed "emotional and physical abuse, mental distress, public humiliation and financial loss," according to the Dallas Morning News.

Deion Sanders, 44, was selected by the Falcons in the first round of the 1989 NFL draft. He played five seasons with Atlanta before leaving to join the San Francisco 49ers for one year and then the Dallas Cowboys.

He closed out his career with one season in Washington and two seasons with the Baltimore Ravens.

Sanders also played major league baseball for nine years, including three-and-a-half with the Braves from 1991-1994. He was elected to the NFL Hall of Fame in 2011.