Rondale Moore dies at age 25
Remembering Moore after his shocking passing
By Matthew Coller
Last summer I interviewed Rondale Moore on the sideline of the TCO Performance Center practice fields. The angle for my story was about his resilience. His toughness. His ability to fight through things that would make others quit.
Moore was humble and soft spoken but I could tell that he was amped up about his opportunity with the Minnesota Vikings.
In 2024, he suffered a devistating knee injury during a practice with the Atlanta Falcons. After a long recovery that hadn’t allowed him to participate in OTAs or minicamp, Moore was finally back on the football field in Minnesota and looked like the same guy that once put together legendary performances as a receiver at Purdue and had flashed lightning with the Arizona Cardinals.
Special teams coach Matt Daniels told me that Moore was going into his office on a daily basis asking questions, talking over plans. He couldn’t wait to catch another one.
You could tell that the coaches were all rooting for him. Keenan McCardell called him “tough as nails” and compared him to some of the best undersized receivers that he played with back in the day.
Moore said that he tried to take advantage of the time where he was injured by looking at himself in the mirror. What more can I learn? How can I improve my mentality toward football?
Here’s what he told me last August:
“Being able to see it from a different perspective, almost on the outside looking in and even the small, tedious things that you don’t necessarily pay attention to when you’re on the field, I got a chance to see everything.”
He didn’t seem to wonder, “why me?” He believed that he would prove again that he could overcome an injury and show everyone the type of player he could be, just like he had done coming out of college with an injury history.
Only a few days after I chatted with him, Moore got hurt again. It was one of the most gutting scenes that any of us had seen from the press box. He caught a punt, ran toward the sideline and got dragged down awkwardly. The stadium was quiet and you could hear his agony from every corner of the stadium.
Even in that moment where we knew that his season was over, there was a thought that he would fight his way back again. That was his heart, toughness and drive to be great in the NFL.
On Saturday evening, we got news that was a thousand times more gut wrenching than any injury. Multiple outlets reported that Moore died at the age of 25. According to New Albany police chief Todd Bailey, Moore was found deceased with a suspected self-inflicted gunshot wound in the garage of a property in New Albany, Indiana.
The Vikings put out the following statement:
We are deeply saddened by the passing of Rondale Moore. While we are working to understand the facts, we have spoken with Rondale’s family to offer our condolences and the full support of the Minnesota Vikings. We have also been in communication with our players, coaches, and staff, and will make counseling and emotional support resources available to anyone in need. Our thoughts are with Rondale’s family and friends during this devastating time.
Statement from Head Coach Kevin O’Connell
I am devastated by the news of Rondale’s death. While Rondale had been a member of the Vikings for a short time, he was someone we came to know well and care about deeply. He was a humble, soft-spoken, and respectful young man who was proud of his Indiana roots. As a player, he was disciplined, dedicated and resilient despite facing adversity multiple times as injuries sidelined him throughout his career. We are all heartbroken by the fact he won’t continue to live out his NFL dream and we won’t all have a chance to watch him flourish. My prayers are with Rondale’s family, friends, teammates and coaches as we all deal with this tragic news.
How does anyone begin to process what has happened?
Everyone on the outside viewed Moore as a spark of light. He was everything that is great about football. His will to overcome his size and the obstacles that had been put in front of him were inspiring.
We don’t think about all the difficult days and the toll those take. We know now that he was suffering. It makes you think about who else may be dealing with the same struggles.
The NFL Players Association urged its members to support each other.
“In moments like this we are reminded of how much our players carry, on and off the field. To our members: Please know that support is always within reach. Check on your teammates and prioritize your mental health. If you or someone you know is struggling, we encourage you to take advantage of the many confidential resources available to you through the NFLPA.”
The idea of checking on fellow teammates is admirable and important. But multiple players noted on Twitter/X on Saturday evening that they had just spoken to Moore. Hollywood Brown posted an encouraging message that he sent his former teammate. Kyler Murray noted that he had spoken to him as well. Another player said he’d just been in the garage where Moore was found.
With every tragedy, there is something we can all take with us going forward. In this case, that might be the importance of checking on ourselves. It may be easy to show the world the face that you want them to see. If there is something else happening inside, seeking help is the way. Remembering all those who will be devistated by your loss, as the football world is today. Understanding that better days are possible.
NOTE: You can call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988. You can also text HOME to 741741 to connect with a Crisis Text Line counselor.
We also have to remember that NFL players are not gladiators. They are human. Speed, strength and agility does not make them impervious to mental struggle. No matter what we think of the things that happen on the field, we should always keep in mind that there is a person that walks off those white lines and isn’t any different than anyone else. With the way players are talked about sometimes and harrassed on social media, it seems too many folks lose sight of those facts.
Deepest condolences to the friends, family and teammates of Rondale Moore. He will be missed.
Nicely done, Matt. This news is gutting. We were all rooting for him.
Thank you for this, RIP Rondale Moore.