Remembering Rondale Moore: A Legacy at Just 25:
According to Jeff Brohm, his old college coach, NFL wide receiver Rondale Moore passed away on Saturday at the age of 25.
"Coaching Rondale Moore was a true pleasure," said Brohm, who coached Moore at Purdue, in a statement. He was an outstanding competitor who never gave up on a challenge. He worked with an unrivaled diligence. He always had your back and was a fantastic teammate. We all loved Rondale because of his smile and spirit of competition. He was always trying to make everyone he came into contact with happy. Our hearts and thoughts are with Rondale and his family. We love them.
Rondale Moore was well-liked in the locker room, and several of his former colleagues paid tribute to him on social media on Saturday.
“I’m struggling to wrap my head around this,” said three-time Defensive Player of the Year J. J. Watt. Watt, who was Moore’s teammate in Arizona. No. It’s too early. So different. There’s so much more to offer. Rondale, may you rest in peace.
Moore’s birthplace of New Albany police told WHAS that Moore committed suicide.
Rondale Moore, who was born five weeks early, won a Purdue University football scholarship after excelling in football, basketball, and track in high school.His cousin Geno Rowen commented, “They say premature babies are the strongest because they have to fight from the very beginning.”
During his rookie year at Purdue, which he chose over Texas, Moore won the Paul Hornung Award, which is given to the most versatile player in college football. Despite his small stature, NFL scouts were impressed by his quickness, versatility, and unwavering work ethic. He was five feet seven inches tall and weighed 181 pounds.While attending Purdue, Moore famously said, “I knew that the odds weren’t in my favor when it came to height.”
Rondale Moore was motivated by a desire to provide for his family, especially his mother Quincy Ricketts, according to Brohm in 2019. Brohm continued, “He wanted to be the one in his family who made it.” This is the reason he works so hard. He differs from other recently arrived freshmen at the university.
Moore was chosen by the Arizona Cardinals in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft. In just his second start of the year, he caught a 77-yard touchdown ball from Kyler Murray. However, he struggled with illnesses during the next two seasons with the Cardinals.
He was traded to the Atlanta Falcons in 2024, but he was unable to play due to another injury. He signed a deal with the Minnesota Vikings in 2025 after sustaining his second serious knee injury in two years, but he was out for the whole season.
Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell shared in a statement that he was deeply heartbroken upon learning about Rondale’s passing. Despite his short time with the Vikings, we got to know him well and truly cared about him. A modest, polite, and courteous young man, he was proud of his Indiana roots. He was a disciplined, dedicated, and resilient player despite missing a lot of time due to injuries during his career.
We are heartbroken that he will not be able to fulfill his NFL dream and that we will not be able to see him grow. My thoughts and prayers are with Rondale’s family, friends, teammates, and coaches as we all cope with this heartbreaking news.