The football world has been hit with another devastating piece of heartbreaking news earlier today. According to reports, Purdue standout and NFL receiver Rondale Moore passed away at just 25 years old.

Local police in New Albany, Indiana, found him in a garage, and while they are waiting on a full autopsy scheduled for February 22. They’ve shared that it appears to have been a self-inflicted gunshot wound. It’s just a heartbreaking situation all around for his family and everybody.

Before he was playing on Sundays, Moore was a modern-day legend at Purdue and Jeff Brohm’s most trusted recruit. The former Purdue head coach and Rondale Moore go way back, even before their college days. Brohm was Moore’s head coach at Trinity High in Louisville. As a matter of fact, Moore was Brohm’s first signature recruit for his Purdue program after flipping his loyalty from Texas back in 2017.

Right after hearing the news, the Louisville head coach hopped onto his X handle and shared a heartfelt emotional tribute:

“Rondale Moore was a complete joy to coach. The ultimate competitor that wouldn’t back down from any challenge. Rondale had a work ethic unmatched by anyone. A great teammate that would come through in any situation. We all loved Rondale, we loved his smile and competitive edge that always wanted to please everyone he came in contact with. We offer all of our thoughts and prayers to Rondale and his family, we love him very much.”

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And if you had remotely followed college ball back in 2018, you’d know he was one of the most exciting players in the country, if not the most. In his very first year at Purdue, he went on and became the first true freshman in Big Ten history to be named a consensus All-American, and for good reason if you see what numbers he was putting out there.

The former Cardinals WR racked up over 2,215 all-purpose yards in just one season. No wonder he won the Paul Hornung Award.

When he moved up to the NFL as a second-round pick for the Arizona Cardinals in 2021, he didn’t slow down. In just his second game, he burned the defense for a 77-yard touchdown. During his three years in Arizona, he hauled in 135 catches for 1,201 yards and even became the first receiver in franchise history to rush for over 100 yards in a season.

Unfortunately, things started taking some bad turn for him mentally and also physically. He spent his entire 2024 season on the sidelines with a knee injury during his time with the Atlanta Falcons. And when he moved to the Minnesota Vikings in 2025 on a $2 million deal with the hopes of a fresh start, lightning struck him twice in the worst way.

In the very first preseason game in August, he went down with another season-ending knee injury when returning a punt. Being carted off twice in two years has to be one heck of a mental and physical weight for any sports person to carry. The college football world came with heartfelt tributes, and to pay respect.

Fans started pouring in their prayers for Moore

The former NFL linebacker for the Panthers and Browns started by addressing how the emotional toll of injuries can get the best of players.

“So sad Rondale Moore was so young check up on your brothers life without football can be dark while battling injuries consistently.”

Jermaine Carter Jr. is pointing out how “dark” it gets for players like Rondale when back-to-back injuries take away their career and identity. Since Rondale had just spent two straight years on the injured list, Carter is urging teammates to check in on each other as much as possible and, soon as possible.

Jupiter Christian HS head coach Baz tweeted: “Sorry for your loss Coach” The coach sent his regards to Jeff Brohm’s loss.

One fan commented: “I’m so sorry for all of you that knew him so well. Such horrible sad news. I’m sure Tyler is giving him a big hug.”

For those of you who are not familiar, Tyler Trent was the famous Purdue superfan who passed away from cancer in 2019. The bond between Rondale and Tyler was as tight as it gets. The two were best friends during Rondale’s breakout 2018 season.

Another fan commented: “RIP, this is horrible.” Moore was one of the fan favorites; losing arguably one of your favorite wide receivers of the last decade hurts to the core.

One last fan tweeted: “So heartbreaking – way too young. You were an inspiration, kid, and left a huge football legacy. May your memory be eternal.” So far, authorities are treating the case as a death investigation, but there is no sign of foul play or anyone else being involved. More news is expected in the next few hours.