The NFL is in mourning after the tragic death of Rondale Moore, a wide receiver for the Minnesota Vikings, was confirmed at the age of 25, a situation that has once again brought the issue of professional players’ mental health to the forefront.
Moore passed away last Saturday in his home state of Indiana. According to initial reports, the player was found in a garage with what appears to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
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However, authorities do not want to release information before the forensic examinations in Floyd County are completed. For now, an autopsy has already been scheduled to clarify the facts.
The young wide receiver, born in New Albany, was a graduate of the Purdue Boilermakers. His performance allowed him to be selected in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the Arizona Cardinals.
In 2025 he had a contract with the Vikings, but a knee injury prevented him from playing.
Outrage on social media: ESPN uses photo of another player in tribute to Moore
Amid the grief within the sports community, ESPN became the target of harsh criticism due to an error described by fans as “unforgivable.”
During the late-night edition of SportsCenter, while anchor Scott Van Pelt delivered an emotional tribute to Moore’s memory, the graphic that appeared on screen showed the photograph of another player.
The mistake consisted of displaying the image of Myles Price, Moore’s teammate with the Vikings, instead of that of the deceased player.
As reported by Awful Announcing, the segment aired around 1:07 a.m. EST. Although the network noticed the error and re-recorded the block with the correct image for later replays, the damage had already been done and screenshots of the mistake went viral within minutes.
Unfortunately, ESPN was not the only outlet to make a mistake; reports from Larry Brown Sports indicated that CNN also published an article using the wrong photograph. These oversights have been interpreted by fans as a lack of respect toward a player’s identity.
While this error unfolded, some former players have already spoken out to demand that the circumstances of the death be fully clarified. If it turns out to be the consequence of a physical health issue, they have called on the NFL to take measures to provide physical and emotional support in order to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
