Rondale Moore Cause of Death Update: How Did the Vikings Receiver Die?

The unexpected death of Minnesota Vikings receiver Rondale Moore at the age of 25 has made many sports fans wonder: What was his cause of death? How did Rondale Moore die?

"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," Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell said in a statement. "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."

Here's what's known about how Rondale Moore died.

Rondale Moore's Cause of Death Has Not Been Formally Announced, But There Is a Suspected One

Although authorities have not determined Moore's formal cause of death, investigators told WLKY-TVthat they have a suspected one, and it's tragic.

"Moore was found dead in a garage at the property from what is believed to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound," the television station reported. Fox News reported that, according to New Albany, police chief Todd Bailey, Moore "died of a suspected self-inflicted gunshot wound and was found in the garage of a property in New Albany" but the death remains under investigation.

An autopsy has been scheduled, according to WLKY.

According to a statement from the Vikings, "Moore, who was just 25 years old, had joined Minnesota last March during the 2025 free agency cycle, but his new opportunity was affected when he suffered a severe left knee injury while returning a punt in the preseason opener against Houston. It was his lone snap in Purple."

He was also a high school and college standout. "Moore followed his successful high school career, which included a basketball title in Indiana before transferring and winning a football title in Kentucky (as well as 2017 Gatorade Kentucky Player of the Year honors), by dazzling as a freshman at Purdue," according to the Vikings.

Rondale Moore Wrote About His Mother, Quincy Ricketts, & Family on Social Media

For everything you sacrificed for me and my siblings, this is only the beginning. Mama, this one is for you .. ???? pic.twitter.com/fYMjnXtrFj

— Rondale Moore (@moore_rondale) September 4, 2021

Moore was on X, but he hadn't been active on the site for some time. He did post a photo in 2021 of a house and wrote, "For everything you sacrificed for me and my siblings, this is only the beginning. Mama, this one is for you." His mother is named Quincy Ricketts.

He pinned a 2016 post to the top of his page that reads, "Note to self: Be patient."

In 2020, he wrote, "Gotta make up for all them nights that my mama cried." He wrote in 2019, "Working on a dream people barely say come true ..." On Instagram, he only had a few posts, but wrote of his mother, "Strongest woman livin’ if the shoe was on the other foot don’t think I could’ve did it."

It's unclear whether he had a girlfriend.

Several Other Football Players Have Died of Suicide in Recent Years

There has been a spate of tragedies involving football players.

The Dallas Cowboys confirmed the death of Marshawn Kneeland at just 24 years old. The cause of death was suicide by a “self-inflicted gunshot wound,” the Texas Department of Public Safety announced. That statement said Kneeland fled a traffic stop and then abandoned his vehicle after crashing it at the Dallas Parkway. He was then found deceased.

Former LSU wide receiver Kyren Lacy died at age 24 of suicide. The Harris County Sheriff’s Office in Texas said in a statement that “preliminary information indicates Lacy shot himself” after leading police on a pursuit. The death was deemed a suicide; he was facing criminal charges in another incident at the time.

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