The NFL contract may come with fame, fortune, and million-dollar paychecks, but the pressure behind them has a less glamorous picture. The latest casualty in the NFL’s mounting mental health crisis was Rondale Moore, who passed away last month. His death draws urgent attention to a problem that can no longer be ignored, a sentiment echoed by the late wide receiver’s former teammate.

“And one way I would start is by making it mandatory,” wrote A.J. Green, the retired WR, on The Players Tribune recently.

“If you have a major injury, that you see an independent mental health counselor as part of your rehab. And by also making it mandatory, if you have a second major injury, that you see an independent mental health counselor for an extended period of time, even after your rehab.”

Green and Moore became teammates in Arizona when the Cardinals drafted the young receiver in 2021. They shared a locker room for two seasons before Green retired, building a bond that went beyond the field.

Being wide receivers, the two shared a great friendship off the field. The 37-year-old has two sons, but he shared a close bond with the late player, calling him “third and oldest son.” They reportedly talked regularly, and he even invited Moore to spend time with his family amid his mental crisis due to the recurring injuries.

Moore, who was last signed by the Vikings, had to deal with constant injuries that affected both his career and possibly his mental state. In 2022, he missed nine games due to a groin injury, while knee injuries sidelined him for the entire 2024 campaign with the Falcons and then the 2025 campaign with the Vikings, meaning he didn’t play a single NFL game in the previous two campaigns.

The late WR was found dead on February 21, 2026, because of a self-inflicted gunshot.

In 2019, the NFL established the Comprehensive Mental Health and Wellness Committee to provide players with better mental health resources. However, Moore didn’t benefit from it during his crisis, as several other players had a similar fate in the past.

Players who lost their lives to mental health battles recently

Aside from Rondale Moore, there have been multiple casualties due to the mental health crisis, including in recent years. Marshawn Kneeland, the former Dallas Cowboys defensive end, died from a similar self-inflicted gunshot in November 2025; he was reportedly battling a serious mental health crisis. Although he didn’t have repeated season-ending injuries like Moore did, he had suicidal thoughts before.

The former two-time Pro Bowler and Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Doug Martin died last year at the age of 36. He was struggling with severe mental health issues, as his family described.

The former Pro Bowler and Cincinnati Bengals running back Rudi Johnson was another recent victim of mental health struggles, who passed away due to suicide on September 23, 2025. His family confirmed that his mental health crisis was primarily the reason behind the death, alongside the potential impact of CTE.

In the wake of these tragedies and Green’s powerful plea, the pressure is on the NFL to implement the mandatory mental health support systems its players clearly need.