Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Rondale Moore has died at the age of 25 in New Albany, Indiana. The athlete’s death was caused by a suspected self-inflicted gunshot wound, police said on Feb. 21. The Floyd County coroner confirmed Moore’s death to the New York Times.
The athlete, who played for the Arizona Cardinals from 2021 to 2023 and the Atlanta Falcons in 2024 before joining the Vikings in March 2025 as a free agent, suffered a season-ending knee injury during the 2025 preseason and did not play in a regular-season game for them before his death.
Moore began his football career at Trinity High School in Indiana before committing to Purdue where he stood out on the Boilermakers during his freshman year in 2018. That year, Moore led the Big Ten in receiving with 1,258 yards and 12 touchdowns while also contributing as a return specialist, two feats that earned him consensus All-American honors and the Big Ten Freshman of the Year award.
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Moore joined the NFL when he was selected in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the Arizona Cardinals. Though he had a promising start, he was plagued by injuries, including missed time with the Cardinals and a season lost to a knee injury with the Atlanta Falcons in 2024.
In 2025, Moore signed with the Vikings with hopes of reigniting his NFL journey, but yet another knee injury in the preseason sidelined him for the 2025-2026 season. The circumstances of Moore’s death are still being investigated.
Tributes quickly began pouring in as former coaches, teammates and fans learned of Moore’s death. Louisville head coach Jeff Brohm, who coached Moore at Purdue, called him “a complete joy to coach” on X. “[He was] he ultimate competitor that wouldn’t back down from any challenge,” he added. “Rondale has a work ethic that was unmatched by anyone.”
“We all loved Rondale, we loved his smile and competitive edge that always wanted to please everyone he came in contact with,” he concluded, sending “thoughts and prayers to Rondale and his family.”
