NFL wide receiver, local stand out Rondale Moore dies at 25 – WLKY

Rondale Moore, a 25-year-old former Purdue All-American and local high-school standout, was found dead Saturday in New Albany, Indiana, the Floyd County coroner confirmed. New Albany Police say officers are conducting a death investigation at a residence on the 1600 block of Ekin Avenue after Moore was discovered in a garage; investigators say the wound is believed to be self-inflicted. Chief Todd Bailey of the New Albany Police Department said the inquiry is ongoing and that no further information will be released while investigators and the coroner proceed. An autopsy has been scheduled to determine manner and cause of death.

• Rondale Moore was 25 years old at the time of death; the Floyd County coroner confirmed the finding on Saturday.
• Police opened a death investigation at a house on the 1600 block of Ekin Avenue in New Albany, Indiana, and reported the body was located in a garage.
• Investigators say the wound is believed to be a self-inflicted gunshot; an autopsy has been scheduled by the coroner.
• Moore was a decorated high-school athlete: a 2017 Gatorade Kentucky Player of the Year and Paul Hornung Award recipient who helped win a 2016 Class 6A football title.
• At Purdue, Moore produced a signature game on Oct. 20, 2018, with 12 receptions for 170 yards and two touchdowns vs. No. 2 Ohio State.
• He was taken in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the Arizona Cardinals and played with them from 2021–23 before a trade to Atlanta.
• Moore missed the entire 2024 season with the Falcons due to a training-camp injury and signed with the Minnesota Vikings in 2025, suffering a season-ending knee injury in the 2025 preseason opener.

Background

Moore emerged as a multi-sport athlete in southern Indiana, beginning at New Albany High School where he contributed to the Bulldogs’ basketball state championship. He later transferred to Trinity High School and was part of the Shamrocks’ 2016 Class 6A football championship team, raising his profile across the state. In 2017 he earned statewide recognition as the Gatorade Kentucky Player of the Year and received the Paul Hornung Award for versatility and performance that same year. Those accomplishments led to a college career at Purdue under head coach Jeff Brohm, himself a Trinity alumnus, where Moore became one of the program’s most prominent playmakers.

Moore’s college career included moments that elevated both his draft stock and Purdue’s national profile. His performance against Ohio State on Oct. 20, 2018—12 catches for 170 yards and two scores—remains a widely cited highlight that helped spotlight Brohm and the Boilermakers. Moore declared for the NFL and was selected in the second round of the 2021 draft by the Arizona Cardinals, beginning a professional trajectory marked by potential but also repeated injuries. Across his time in the NFL he changed teams, passing through Arizona and Atlanta before signing with Minnesota in 2025.

Main Event

Local authorities were dispatched to a residence on the 1600 block of Ekin Avenue in New Albany on Saturday after a report that led to the discovery of Moore’s body in a garage. The Floyd County coroner publicly confirmed Moore’s death that day; investigators told reporters the wound is believed to be self-inflicted. New Albany Police Chief Todd Bailey has characterized the situation as an active death investigation and declined to release additional specifics while evidence is being gathered. The coroner’s office has scheduled an autopsy to provide an official ruling on cause and manner of death, a process that can take several days depending on testing.

City and county officials have not released more detailed timelines of events at the scene, and police did not identify any witnesses or other individuals connected to the investigation in their initial public comments. Investigators typically process the scene for forensic evidence and interview potential witnesses before presenting findings to the coroner; Chief Bailey’s statement emphasized that work is ongoing and that the department will withhold further information while that process continues. Friends, former teammates and members of the local community expressed shock following the news; public tributes to Moore began appearing on social channels after the announcement.

Moore’s professional injury history shaped the latter part of his NFL career. After three seasons with the Arizona Cardinals (2021–23), a trade to the Atlanta Falcons preceded a training-camp injury that sidelined him for all of 2024. He signed with the Minnesota Vikings in 2025 but suffered a season-ending knee injury during the preseason opener. Those recurring injuries limited his opportunities to re-establish consistent playing time in the league.

Analysis & Implications

The immediate implication is procedural: local law enforcement and the coroner will complete their respective investigations before family, teams and the public receive fuller information. That process will include toxicology and forensic analysis, which often take multiple weeks. For the NFL and Moore’s former teams, the human and organizational response involves both public comment and private outreach; teams typically offer support to families and teammates while awaiting official findings. The death of a young player also brings renewed attention to player welfare programs and the resources available for current and former athletes dealing with injuries, transitions and mental-health challenges.

At the community level in New Albany and at his high schools and Purdue, Moore’s passing reverberates because he was both a local sports celebrity and a widely recognized young athlete. His high-school championships and college highlight performances made him a hometown figure; local programs and alumni networks are likely to organize tributes and memorials in the coming days. Colleges and NFL franchises commonly coordinate public statements with grieving families, and those statements can shape public understanding of a player’s legacy.

There are also policy and public-health considerations. Moore’s injuries and time away from play reflect broader patterns in contact sports where physical trauma, recovery and career uncertainty intersect. Policymakers, athletic departments and player-association advocates may point to cases like Moore’s when discussing expanded mental-health services, post-injury care, and transition support for athletes who leave professional sports earlier than expected because of injury.

The table summarizes Moore’s key team affiliations and milestone injuries through 2025. While the numbers reflect official game and roster records, a full career assessment would include snap counts, targets and detailed medical reports; those data are collected separately by teams and the league.

Reactions & Quotes

Rondale was a joy to coach and a relentless competitor whose work ethic set him apart.

Jeff Brohm, Purdue head coach (statement)

Brohm’s brief statement to news outlets framed Moore as a driven teammate whose on-field achievements were matched by a strong work ethic. The coach emphasized affection for Moore and extended condolences to the family while noting Moore’s impact on Purdue’s program.

We are conducting a death investigation and will release additional information only after investigators have completed necessary work.

Todd Bailey, New Albany Police Chief

Chief Bailey’s comments focused on procedural caution: law-enforcement officials said they are processing the scene and will withhold details while the coroner and detectives complete their inquiries. He did not provide a timeline for releasing further findings.

• The precise cause and manner of death await autopsy and toxicology results and remain unconfirmed.
• It has not been publicly confirmed whether anyone else was present at the scene or whether foul play is definitively excluded.
• No official medical history or toxicology details have been released that would clarify contributing factors.

Bottom Line

Rondale Moore’s death is now the subject of an active investigation and an upcoming autopsy; investigators have said the wound is believed to be self-inflicted, but official confirmation awaits coroner findings. Moore’s athletic résumé — decorated high-school careers in New Albany and Trinity, an All-American run at Purdue highlighted by a standout 2018 game, and an NFL tenure marked by notable injuries — frames both community reaction and broader discussions about athlete welfare. For local supporters, teammates and the institutions he represented, the immediate focus will be on supporting Moore’s family and waiting for the coroner’s report. In the longer term, Moore’s passing may renew attention to mental-health supports and medical-care continuity for athletes whose careers are disrupted by injury.

Sources

• WLKY (local TV news report; initial coverage and statements from New Albany Police and Floyd County coroner)