A video of JJ Watt offering words of encouragement to a dejected Rondale Moore has gone viral in the wake of the wide receiver’s death, leaving fans heartbroken.
On Saturday night it emerged that the Minnesota Vikings wide receiver had passed away at the age of 25. Moore was found in his garage with what is believed to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound, police chief Todd Bailey said.
Amid the influx of touching tributes, a video of Moore sharing a heartfelt moment with former teammate Watt resurfaced, tugging on the heartstrings of emotional fans.
NFL legend Watt’s career briefly overlapped with Moore’s after the wideout was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in 2021.
The viral clip, which was originally shared by NFL on Fox three years ago, showed the retired superstar consoling a visibly upset Moore during a training session.
‘I dropped the ball,’ a dejected Moore was captured telling Watt, after the former defensive end asked him if he was okay.
Rondale Moore was found dead at the age of 25 with a suspected self-inflicted gunshot would
A video of JJ Watt consoling the wide receiver in training has gone viral over the weekend
‘Oh yeah. No, that’s your job description,’ Watt responded as if he were going to give the young player a tough time. ‘That’s going to be tough, you know?’
‘I’m kidding. It’s fine,’ he continued, quickly making it apparent he had been sarcastic. ‘Is it Wednesday or is it Sunday? Be p****d about it. Stay after. Catch a few extra balls. And then catch it on Sunday.’
Watt continued to reassure Moore as the wide receiver appeared to be tough on himself: ‘Do you know how many times I’ve been knocked on my a** in my career? You get back up and you go back out there, and you catch the next one.’
Watt’s heartwarming gesture went viral among NFL fans in the wake of Moore’s death as many praised the ‘stand up guy’ for his support.
‘JJ is such a good dude,’ one fan insisted on X, while another wrote: ‘JJ was awesome in so many short clips like this I have seen of him.’
‘Dude JJ watt was like a super hero playing football back in the day. This clip shows his character is as great as his play was on the field. Dude damn near converted me into a Texans fan when I was a kid,’ a third gushed.
‘Certified good guy @JJWatt. RIP Rondale,’ added another.
Meanwhile, others suggested that the clip offered a glimpse into Moore’s challenging mindset and the troubles he may have been struggling with mentally on the field.
The retired superstar’s NFL career overlapped with Moore’s time with the Arizona Cardinals
‘Scary moment now watching it,’ one fan wrote. ‘Small glimpse into how personal Moore took things. Sad all around.’
Another shared: ‘Dang. That is such a bummer. That clip gives a lot of insight into his mindset.’
‘Need the OG on the teams to help pick these young players up mentally while trying to find their roles,’ a third insisted. ‘Prayers up to the kid.’
After the devastating news of Moore’s death broke over the weekend, Watt shared a poignant tribute of his own.
The current TV analyst reacted on X, writing that he ‘can’t even begin to fathom or process this.’
‘There’s just no way,’ added Watt, who also played with Moore in Arizona. ‘Way too soon. Way too special. So much left to give.
‘Rest in Peace Rondale.’
Moore was the 2017 Gatorade Kentucky Player of the Year at Louisville’s trinity high school, where he became one of the most coveted recruits in the country.
Moore graduated from Purdue in 2020, completing a degree in selling and sales management while earning an impressive 3.5 GPA. His college coach described him as a ‘joy’ to work with
A young Rondale Moore is pictured alongside his mother, Quincy Ricketts, in this photo
The diminutive wideout stood just 5ft7, but still succeeded at Purdue, winning Big Ten Freshman of the Year and Receiver of the Year honors in 2018. Moore graduated from Purdue in 2020, completing a degree in selling and sales management while earning an impressive 3.5 GPA.
Despite a series of injuries at Purdie, the Arizona Cardinals picked Moore in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft. He was traded to the Atlanta Falcons in 2024 before signing a one-year, $2 million with Minnesota before the 2025 season.
Moore’s final season took an unfortunate turn in August when he suffered a season-ending knee injury during a preseason game against the Houston Texas. It marked the second consecutive year his season was cut short by injury.
If you or someone you know needs help, please call or text the confidential 24/7 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in the US on 988. There is also an online chat available at 988lifeline.org.
A video of JJ Watt offering words of encouragement to a dejected Rondale Moore has gone viral in the wake of the wide receiver’s death, leaving fans heartbroken.
On Saturday night it emerged that the Minnesota Vikings wide receiver had passed away at the age of 25. Moore was found in his garage with what is believed to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound, police chief Todd Bailey said.
Amid the influx of touching tributes, a video of Moore sharing a heartfelt moment with former teammate Watt resurfaced, tugging on the heartstrings of emotional fans.
NFL legend Watt’s career briefly overlapped with Moore’s after the wideout was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in 2021.
The viral clip, which was originally shared by NFL on Fox three years ago, showed the retired superstar consoling a visibly upset Moore during a training session.
‘I dropped the ball,’ a dejected Moore was captured telling Watt, after the former defensive end asked him if he was okay.
Rondale Moore was found dead at the age of 25 with a suspected self-inflicted gunshot would
A video of JJ Watt consoling the wide receiver in training has gone viral over the weekend
‘Oh yeah. No, that’s your job description,’ Watt responded as if he were going to give the young player a tough time. ‘That’s going to be tough, you know?’
‘I’m kidding. It’s fine,’ he continued, quickly making it apparent he had been sarcastic. ‘Is it Wednesday or is it Sunday? Be p****d about it. Stay after. Catch a few extra balls. And then catch it on Sunday.’
Watt continued to reassure Moore as the wide receiver appeared to be tough on himself: ‘Do you know how many times I’ve been knocked on my a** in my career? You get back up and you go back out there, and you catch the next one.’
Watt’s heartwarming gesture went viral among NFL fans in the wake of Moore’s death as many praised the ‘stand up guy’ for his support.
‘JJ is such a good dude,’ one fan insisted on X, while another wrote: ‘JJ was awesome in so many short clips like this I have seen of him.’
‘Dude JJ watt was like a super hero playing football back in the day. This clip shows his character is as great as his play was on the field. Dude damn near converted me into a Texans fan when I was a kid,’ a third gushed.
‘Certified good guy @JJWatt. RIP Rondale,’ added another.
Meanwhile, others suggested that the clip offered a glimpse into Moore’s challenging mindset and the troubles he may have been struggling with mentally on the field.
The retired superstar’s NFL career overlapped with Moore’s time with the Arizona Cardinals
‘Scary moment now watching it,’ one fan wrote. ‘Small glimpse into how personal Moore took things. Sad all around.’
Another shared: ‘Dang. That is such a bummer. That clip gives a lot of insight into his mindset.’
‘Need the OG on the teams to help pick these young players up mentally while trying to find their roles,’ a third insisted. ‘Prayers up to the kid.’
After the devastating news of Moore’s death broke over the weekend, Watt shared a poignant tribute of his own.
The current TV analyst reacted on X, writing that he ‘can’t even begin to fathom or process this.’
‘There’s just no way,’ added Watt, who also played with Moore in Arizona. ‘Way too soon. Way too special. So much left to give.
‘Rest in Peace Rondale.’
Moore was the 2017 Gatorade Kentucky Player of the Year at Louisville’s trinity high school, where he became one of the most coveted recruits in the country.
Moore graduated from Purdue in 2020, completing a degree in selling and sales management while earning an impressive 3.5 GPA. His college coach described him as a ‘joy’ to work with
A young Rondale Moore is pictured alongside his mother, Quincy Ricketts, in this photo
The diminutive wideout stood just 5ft7, but still succeeded at Purdue, winning Big Ten Freshman of the Year and Receiver of the Year honors in 2018. Moore graduated from Purdue in 2020, completing a degree in selling and sales management while earning an impressive 3.5 GPA.
Despite a series of injuries at Purdie, the Arizona Cardinals picked Moore in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft. He was traded to the Atlanta Falcons in 2024 before signing a one-year, $2 million with Minnesota before the 2025 season.
Moore’s final season took an unfortunate turn in August when he suffered a season-ending knee injury during a preseason game against the Houston Texas. It marked the second consecutive year his season was cut short by injury.
If you or someone you know needs help, please call or text the confidential 24/7 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in the US on 988. There is also an online chat available at 988lifeline.org.