Vikings' Rondale Moore to miss second consecutive season after gut-wrenching knee injury
Moore, who missed all of the 2024 campaign after sustaining a right knee injury at training camp as a member of the Falcons, injured his knee Saturday while returning the Texans' first punt.
Upon being tackled by Houston linebacker Jamal Hill, the former second-round pick was carted off the field as he slammed his hands in frustration.
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5 Rondale Moore (4) suffered a season-ending injury against the Texans in the Vikings' preseason opener on Aug. 9, 2025.
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5 He was tended to by medical personnel and taken off the field.
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The Vikings, who signed Moore, 25, earlier in the offseason, placed him on injured reserve Tuesday.
'It's one of the most painful things for me as a head coach when I feel that emotion,' head coach Kevin O'Connell said Saturday following the injury. 'I make a life out of trying to leave others better than I found them. In that situation, there is nothing I can do, which is the worst feeling as a coach. So you just consult with him and make sure that he knows he's not going to be alone.'
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5 Rondale Moore had signed with the Vikings earlier in the offseason.
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The 49th overall pick out of Purdue in the 2021 NFL Draft, Moore began his career with the Cardinals and appeared in 39 regular-season games for Arizona.
Moore amassed 1,201 yards, 135 receptions and three touchdowns across three seasons before being traded to the Falcons in March 2024.
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He was placed on injured reserve last summer following the season-ending knee injury.
5 The former second-round pick was carted off the field during the preseason game on Aug. 9, 2025.
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The Vikings are coming off a 14-3 season with journeyman quarterback Sam Darnold under center.
Despite a resurgence from Darnold — the Jets' third overall pick in 2018 — Minnesota was blanked by the Rams in the wild-card round of the playoffs in a 27-9 defeat.
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5 Rondale Moore began his NFL career with the Cardinals in 2021.
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This year, Minnesota is riding with former first-round pick J.J. McCarthy, who missed all of his rookie season while recovering from a torn meniscus.
When the Vikings open the regular season in September, they'll be without star wideout Jordan Addison, who has been suspended for three games for violating the league's substance abuse policy.
The former USC product, who was taken 23rd overall in 2023, pleaded guilty to a lesser charge stemming from a 2024 DUI case.
The Vikings visit the Bears in their season opener on 'Monday Night Football' on Sept. 8.
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