vikings

Police say the ex-Purdue University star died of a suspected self-inflicted gunshot wound in his hometown in Indiana.

Rondale Moore, the National Football League (NFL) receiver who suffered season-ending training camp knee injuries in each of the last two years after a standout college career at Purdue and a promising start with the Arizona Cardinals, was found dead on Saturday, authorities say.

Police said Moore, aged 25, died of a suspected self-inflicted gunshot wound. Moore was found dead in the garage of a property in his hometown of New Albany, police chief Todd Bailey said. The death remains under investigation.

Floyd County Coroner Matthew Tomlin confirmed Moore’s death. He said an autopsy would be conducted on Sunday.

After being traded to the Atlanta Falcons in 2024, Moore dislocated his right knee during training camp and never played for them. He signed with the Minnesota Vikings in 2025, but he injured his left knee while returning a punt in their first exhibition game and spent another full season on injured reserve. Moore was so distraught after immediately realising the seriousness of that injury that he slammed his hand down on a cart so hard the sound was audible throughout the stadium.

The Vikings said they had spoken with Moore’s family to offer condolences and support.

“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,” coach Kevin O’Connell said in a statement distributed by the team.

“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.”

In a statement, the Cardinals said they were “devastated and heartbroken”.

“Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with his family, friends, teammates, and everyone who loved him and had the privilege of knowing such a special person,” the team said in a social media post.

Moore grew up in New Albany, just across the Indiana border from Louisville, Kentucky, and was a first-team All-American as a freshman at Purdue in 2018.

Drafted in the second round by the Cardinals in 2021, Moore had 1,201 receiving yards and three touchdowns, plus 249 rushing yards and one score over three seasons. He served as their primary returner for kickoffs and punts as a rookie before injuries pushed him away from that role.

“Can’t even begin to fathom or process this,” former Cardinals teammate JJ Watt said on social media. “There’s just no way. Way too soon. Way too special. So much left to give. Rest in peace Rondale.”

One of the toughest decisions for Jared Honig came three years ago. He’s a Granada Hills High graduate and was a teacher and girls’ basketball coach at his alma mater “forever.”

But he and his wife lived in Santa Clarita and just had a third child.

So when the Valencia High girls’ basketball coaching job opened, the decision was made to leave Granada Hills to be closer to home. Three years later, Honig has Valencia in the Southern Section Division 1 semifinals with a playoff game on Saturday night at home against Windward.

The team is rising. The Vikings knocked off Troy and the winningest coach in California history, Kevin Kiernan, in the quarterfinals.

“That’s my first time coaching against him,” Honig said. “That was pretty cool.”

Leading the Vikings has been sophomore Kamilla Basyrova, who made a school-record 94 three-pointers last season and has already broken that record this season while averaging 19.8 points.

“Kamilla is an amazing three-point shooter,” Honig said.

Senior Cara McKell is averaging 17.8 points. The Vikings face an improving Windward team that struggled early but has caught fire, led by Charis Rainey.

Honig is starting to prepare his two girls and one boy for future basketball competitions. They’re 8, 6 and 3. He’s found a new home at Valencia High.

This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.

The Seattle Seahawks lead the New England Patriots 9-0 at halftime of Super Bowl LX on a pair of field goals by kicker Jason Myers.

That’s a pretty low score — but it’s not close to being the lowest halftime score in Super Bowl history. That came in Super Bowl IX following the 1974 season.

In a struggle between two classic NFL defenses — Pittsburgh’s Steel Curtain vs. Minnesota’s Purple People Eaters — the only first-half points midway through the second quarter. On second and 7 from his own 10-yard line, Vikings quarterback Fran Tarkenton lost the ball and had to fall on it in the Vikings’ end zone. He was touched by Steelers defensive end Dwight White, who was credited with the sack.

It was the first safety ever in a Super Bowl, giving Pittsburgh a 2-0 lead that stood at halftime. The Steelers went on to defeat the Vikings 16-6 for their first of four Super Bowl wins in a six-year stretch.

Following the 2018 season, the Patriots led the Rams 3-0 at the intermission of Super Bowl LIII, the second-lowest halftime score in Super Bowl history, on a 42-yard field goal by Stephen Gostkowski early in the second quarter.

Brandon Granger, a 5-foot-10 junior guard at St. Bernard, has burst onto the scene with much to celebrate.

He’s averaging 25 points a game and led St. Bernard (17-11) to the Del Rey League championship earlier this week with an 80-65 win over St. Paul in which he scored 28 points.

Jordan Ballard, a transfer from Westchester, has also played a big role for the Vikings, who won the league title in the second year as head coach of alumnus Bernard McCrumby, who came from Gardena Serra.

The league is always competitive. St. Monica finished second, St. Anthony third, St. Pius X-St. Matthias fourth and St. Paul fifth.

McCrumby took over the program with the promise to renew the Vikings’ success. St. Bernard will find out its spot in the Southern Section playoffs when pairings are released on Saturday at noon.

This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.