NFL WR Rondale Moore Dies at 25
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Rondale Moore was found dead at age 25 in his Indiana hometown. Early reports suggest a suspected self-inflicted gunshot wound, though authorities continue investigating. Moore played for both the Arizona Cardinals and Vikings after starring at Purdue.
- As a true freshman at Purdue in 2018, Moore was a consensus First-Team All-American, the Big Ten Freshman of the Year, and the Big Ten Wide Receiver of the Year. That season, he broke the school record for all-purpose yards in a game in his college debut with 313 and finished the season with 1,258 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns. - Moore's NFL career was significantly hampered by injuries. After playing in 14 and 8 games in his first two seasons with the Arizona Cardinals, he suffered consecutive season-ending knee injuries in the preseasons of 2024 with the Atlanta Falcons and 2025 with the Minnesota Vikings. - He was a multi-sport athlete in high school, winning a state basketball championship with New Albany High School in his hometown in 2016 before transferring to Trinity High School in Louisville, Kentucky, where he won a state football championship in 2017. - The Arizona Cardinals selected Moore in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft with the 49th overall pick. In his three seasons with the Cardinals, he recorded 135 receptions for 1,201 yards and three touchdowns. - In March 2024, the Cardinals traded Moore to the Atlanta Falcons in exchange for quarterback Desmond Ridder. He then signed a one-year contract with the Minnesota Vikings in March 2025. - Moore was recognized for his versatility, winning the Paul Hornung Award in 2018 as the most versatile player in college football. He also received the Kentucky Gatorade Player of the Year award in high school in 2017. - His former Purdue coach, Jeff Brohm, described him as "a complete joy to coach" and "the ultimate competitor who wouldn't back down from any challenge." Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell remembered him as a "humble, soft-spoken, and respectful young man who was proud of his Indiana roots." - An autopsy was scheduled to be conducted on the Sunday following his death. Moore was found in a garage in his hometown of New Albany, Indiana.
