One of Rondale Moore's best friends remembers him in essay on The Players' Tribune

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Rondale Moore, former Purdue receiver, through the years

Jul 29, 2025; Eagan, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Rondale Moore (4) takes part in drills during the teams training camp at the Minnesota Vikings Training Facility. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

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Rondale Moore, former Purdue receiver, through the years

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Rondale Moore, former Purdue receiver, through the years

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Rondale Moore, former Purdue receiver, through the years

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Rondale Moore, former Purdue receiver, through the years

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Rondale Moore, former Purdue receiver, through the years

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Rondale Moore, former Purdue receiver, through the years

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Rondale Moore, former Purdue receiver, through the years

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Rondale Moore, former Purdue receiver, through the years

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Rondale Moore, former Purdue receiver, through the years

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Rondale Moore, former Purdue receiver, through the years

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Rondale Moore, former Purdue receiver, through the years

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Rondale Moore, former Purdue receiver, through the years

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Rondale Moore, former Purdue receiver, through the years

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Rondale Moore, former Purdue receiver, through the years

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Rondale Moore, former Purdue receiver, through the years

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Rondale Moore, former Purdue receiver, through the years

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Rondale Moore, former Purdue receiver, through the years

Rondale Moore had an All-American career at Purdue and an injury-shortened NFL career before he died by suicide on Feb. 21, 2026. His death shocked many throughout football, particularly A.J. Green. The 37-year-old former NFL receiver played his final two seasons with the Arizona Cardinals in 2021-22.

Moore was drafted in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft, and Green took him under his wing almost immediately. Green shared details of his friendship with Moore in an essay on The Players' Tribune .

"I called him Rondale Green. Most vets, when they mentor a younger player, it’s that classic big brother / little brother dynamic. But Rondale Moore was never my Little Bro. It was something deeper than that. He got drafted by Arizona in 2021, the same offseason I signed there as a free agent — and his first two years in the league ended up being my last two. So for us, our relationship, it was almost this “NFL circle of life” type thing. I’d always joke with him about how he’s “Rondale Green, my third and oldest kid.” And looking back, that’s probably one of those jokes where it’s funny because it’s based in a feeling that’s true. Man, I swear….. sometimes he really did feel like my son. I hope he knew I really did love him that way. And I guess I just wanted to share a few thoughts with y’all, now that he’s gone."

Green wrote that he was initially "skeptical" about Moore's prospects, noting he was short, with short arms, and from Purdue. However, Green soon changed his mind after learning about Moore's power and his ability to bench press 300+ pounds and squat 600+ pounds: " Who IS this dude??? "

Moore took his work seriously and quietly, and was often hard on himself. Green wrote that Moore began to open up to him late in his rookie season.

"Rondale and I spoke on that a lot as the season went on. He started telling me about where he came from: New Albany, a small town in Indiana, as the youngest of four kids to a single mom. I learned about how he’d been an underdog from day one … how he was born five weeks too early, and had to be in intensive care out the gate, fighting for his life. I love stories like that — when you find out someone’s always been a certain way. In Rondale’s case, he was born tiny as hell and he was born strong as hell. And those two things never changed."

As their friendship grew, Green advised Moore about finances, and balancing personal and family needs and wants. Moore was one of the first people Green told he was retiring.

Green wrote extensively about Moore's injury rehab, which was frequent. In late 2025, Moore considered becoming a college receivers coach, but he decided to give the NFL another try.

"About a week before Rondale passed, I was in Mexico with my family since my boys were on break. Rondale was in Louisville, finishing up the last part of his rehab. And he and I caught up on the phone. He was taking his family on vacation to Turks and Caicos soon, so I had sent him two hotels to look at. And first we were talking about that, and then he was just telling me about his next month. “Alright so I’mma take my family to Turks. Then I get cleared in 10 days. Then I’mma come to Atlanta for a couple of weeks, and work out with you and Kyle [Pitts].” I was like, “That sounds great.”

Green explained his shock and disbelief upon hearing of Moore's death, then went into how the NFL generally considers mental health issues.

"And then there’s one more thing I want to say about mental health in the NFL — and I hope that everyone who needs to read this is reading it. All the rules … all the initiatives … all the public statements about awareness … none of that means anything if the people who are making the football decisions, in private, are viewing mental health issues how I feel like a lot of times they still get viewed: as a red flag . That’s the truth. No one in any front office will ever say it out loud. No scout is ever gonna put it in a scouting report. But that’s how it’s viewed in this league by a lot of people."

Here's how Green concluded his essay: "The smartest kid I ever met. My third and oldest son. Rest in peace, Rondale Moore. We love you very, very much.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Rondale Moore death: Teammate A.J. Green remembers Arizona Cardinals teammate