Rondale Moore, Minnesota Vikings WR, dead at 25

Moore was a four-star recruit out of Trinity High School in Louisville, KY in the Class of 2018. He was tabbed as the No. 1 ranked player in the state of Kentucky, No. 194 player nationally and the No. 38 wide receiver nationally. He was ranked ahead of wide receivers such as 2022 first round picks Chris Olave and Jahan Dotson.

The New Albany, IN native committed to Purdue and head coach Jeff Brohm over in-state schools Kentucky and Louisville and enjoyed a monster freshman season. Moore burst onto the scene in the Big Ten with 1,258 yards and 12 touchdowns, immediately establishing himself as one of the most explosive players in the country. He however never quite reached this level of success again, as he recorded just 657 yards and two touchdowns over his final two seasons.

Rondale Moore played three NFL seasons (all with Arizona Cardinals)

The Arizona Cardinals took a chance on Moore in the 2021 NFL Draft and selected him in the Second Round with the No. 49 overall pick, providing quarterback Kyler Murray with an explosive weapon out of the slot. Just as he did at Purdue, he contributed his best professional season in his first year with the team.

In 2021, Moore caught 54 passes for 434 yards and one score. His production dropped though in each of the following two seasons, leading the Cardinals to send him packing to the Atlanta Falcons in a trade for quarterback Desmond Ridder in March 2024.

“Rondale might be one of the faster humans in the National Football League,” Falcons receivers coach Ike Hilliard said during OTAs prior to Moore’s injury last season, per Sports Illustrated. Before he could take a snap with Atlanta however, he was placed on season-ending injured reserve after tearing his ACL in training camp.

Minnesota signed Moore to a one-year, $2 million contract last offseason, but he did not play in 2025 after suffering a season-ending injury in the preseason.