Rondale Moore 's former teammate is mourning the NFL star after his tragic and untimely death .
"Bro ain't no way brotha you just messaged me few hours ago 😢," said wide receiver Hollywood Brown said in a Saturday, February 21, post on X .
"You wasn't alone bro.. I told you I know how you feel," Brown said in another post .
Brown played with Moore — also a wide receiver — on the Arizona Cardinals during the 2022 and 2023 NFL seasons.
Rondale Moore Dead: Minnesota Vikings Player and Former Purdue Star Dies at 25
Later in the night, Brown shared a screenshot from a text conversation between him and Moore from August 2025.
"I love you bro 🙏🏿 I always wanted to speak life into you fam," Brown captioned the post.
"Praying for you brother," read the text that Brown sent to Moore. "Sometimes in life when stuff don't go as planned as frustrating as it may be have to always remember God is in control, his plan will always prevail all we can do is trust him and always remember someone has it worse. I'm here if you ever need to talk bro I know how shit feel it sucks dawg but knowing you, you built for this don't give up."
It's unclear if Moore responded to the text, but he reacted to the message with a heart emoji.
The text came just after Moore suffered a season-ending knee injury during his first season with the Minnesota Vikings . It was the second season-ending injury of his young career.
Moore, just 25 years old, died on Saturday, February 21 . Police told Us Weekly that his death is suspected to have been "self inflicted."
"The New Albany Police Department is currently conducting an investigation into the incident," New Albany Police Chief, Todd Bailey, told Us . "Due to the ongoing nature of the investigation no additional information will be released at this time."
Rondale Moore Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images
Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray , along with other NFL players, reacted to the news on social media.
"Just spoke to you bro. Blessed to have been able to share this life with you," Murray posted on his Instagram story on Saturday. "I pray you're in a better place now Ra…"
"Bruh why …..," posted Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts . "We just talked this morning dawg."
"Devastated hearing the news about Rondale," posted Washington Commanders tight end Zach Ertz . "Hard to process. Rest in peace my brother."
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The tragedy sparked a conversation on social media about men's mental health, with many other NFL players commenting on the stigma players face when they speak out and ask for help.
"Check on your friends! Specifically your male friends!" posted New York Giants running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. via X. "You can fake a smile but that doesn't mean everything is alright! Mental Health is Real and People are fighting it daily!"
Vikings head coach, Kevin O'Connell, told Us in a statement, "I am devastated by the news of Rondale's death. While Rondale had been a member of the Vikings for a short time, he was someone we came to know well and care about deeply. He was a humble, soft-spoken, and respectful young man who was proud of his Indiana roots. As a player, he was disciplined, dedicated and resilient despite facing adversity multiple times as injuries sidelined him throughout his career."
"We are all heartbroken by the fact he won't continue to live out his NFL dream and we won't all have a chance to watch him flourish," O'Connell continued. "My prayers are with Rondale's family, friends, teammates and coaches as we all deal with this tragic news."
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.
