Deadlifts also helped strengthen lower back muscles. Tight hamstrings from sitting on the computer all the time also didn't help. I'll try dead hangs.
Romanian deadlifts are much safer. Also hip thrusts and weighted back extensions are good enough unless you're a competitive power lifter.
I think on retrospect deadlifts may have been my issue to, I did the deadlifts that day and later remember going to pickup something off the ground and getting the issue. Not sure if the deadlift was the cause, but I always thought my muscles were sore/tired and lax, thus when I went to lift the thing my lower back stability was compromised.
I'll try Romanian deadlifts and those other exercises, thanks for that suggestion.
I just don't like the stimulus to fatigue ratio for them and spend more time with cables, machines, and dumbbells than barbells these days.