Over the past weekend, the NFL world was given heartbreaking news when it was revealed that former Purdue Boilermaker and NFL wide receiver Rondale Moore had passed away at just 25 years old. It was reported that Moore died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, but the details of his death are still under investigation.
Moore had a special collegiate career, recording nearly 2,000 receiving yards on 178 receptions, 248 rushing yards, and 17 total touchdowns. He was named a consensus All-American in his freshman year and won the Paul Hornung award before injuries would derail his next two seasons. Moore’s abilities on and off the field proved strong enough for the Arizona Cardinals to select him in the second round of the 2021 NFL draft.
He would spend three seasons in the league with Arizona before being dealt to the Atlanta Falcons as part of the Desmond Ridder trade. Moore would join the Minnesota Vikings in March of 2025 during the free agency period. He suffered back-to-back season-ending knee injuries in 24-25.
Unfortunately, Moore’s death is the most recent of a concerning history of young athletes taking their own lives due to injury, social issues, legal battles, mental health troubles, and so much more. After news of Moore’s passing spread on social media outlets, many family members, coaches, players, and fans extended condolences and left messages and stories in hopes of preventing a similar case.
Here are just a few: