REPRESENTATIVE NANCY TATE OF HARDIN COUNTY. THE COMMUNITY IS STILL PROCESSING THE TRAGIC DEATH OF RONDALE MOORE OVER THE WEEKEND. THE FORMER NEW ALBANY AND TRINITY STAR AND WIDE RECEIVER FOR THE MINNESOTA VIKINGS TOOK HIS OWN LIFE ON SATURDAY. SPORTS DIRECTOR KENT TAYLOR SPOKE WITH MOORE’S TRAINER THIS AFTERNOON. BRIAN BROOKS IS A FORMER U OF L FOOTBALL PLAYER. HE STARTED TRAINING ABOUT SIX MONTHS AGO. THEY WERE REHABBING MOORE’S KNEE INJURY AND THEY WORKED TOGETHER 3 OR 4 DAYS A WEEK. BROOKS HAS A PHONE FULL OF PICTURES AND VIDEOS. MOORE WORKING OUT IN HIS GARAGE GYM. HE SAID RONDALE DID NOT HAVE A WEAKNESS AND WAS ALWAYS JOKING AROUND WITH BROOKS. HIS NINE YEAR OLD SON. WHEN HE GOT THE NEWS, HE WAS SHOCKED. FOUR DAYS LATER, HE’S STILL TRYING TO PROCESS IT. JUST JUST A GREAT GUY. YOU KNOW, I THINK I THINK THAT’S THE BIG MESSAGE HERE IS, YOU KNOW, EVERYONE TALKS ABOUT RONDALE, THE FOOTBALL PLAYER. RONDALE, THE YOUNG MAN IS SOMEONE THAT GRADUATED FROM PURDUE IN TWO AND A HALF YEARS. YOU KNOW, HE’S A SON THAT LIT UP THE ROOM TALKING ABOUT BUYING HIS MOM HER FIRST HOME. HE WAS A BROTHER. HE WAS AN UNCLE. HE WAS SOMEONE THAT GAVE FAR MORE THAN HE EVER WOULD TAKE ON THIS EARTH. JUST JUST A GREAT INDIVIDUAL. BROOKS TOLD ME THAT THEY WERE ON THE VERGE OF STARTING TO RUN ROUTES. HE SAID MOORE WAS ON PACE TO RETURN TO MINNESOTA THIS SEASON. WE’LL HEAR MORE FROM BROOKS AT SIX. AND A REMINDER. HELP
‘A great individual’: Rondale Moore’s trainer remembers local football star
Updated: 10:11 PM EST Feb 24, 2026
Rondale Moore, a former New Albany and Trinity star and wide receiver for the Minnesota Vikings, tragically took his own life on Saturday, leaving his community in shock. Brian Brooks, a former University of Louisville football player, had been training Moore for the past six months, focusing on rehabbing Moore’s knee injury. They worked together three or four days a week, and Brooks has a phone full of pictures and videos of Moore working out in his garage gym. Brooks said Moore didn’t have a weakness and was always joking around with his 9-year-old son. When Brooks received the news, he was shocked, and four days later, he is still trying to process it.”Just a great guy,” Brooks said. “You know, I think that’s the big message here is, you know, everyone talks about Rondale, the football player. Rondale, the young man, is someone that graduated from Purdue in two and a half years. You know, he’s a son that lit up the room talking about buying his mom her first home. He was a brother. He was an uncle. He was someone that gave far more than he ever would take on this earth. Just a great individual.”Brooks shared that they were on the verge of starting to run routes, and Moore was on pace to return to Minnesota this season.Crisis HotlineIf you or someone you know is struggling, call or text the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. —
Rondale Moore, a former New Albany and Trinity star and wide receiver for the Minnesota Vikings, tragically took his own life on Saturday, leaving his community in shock.
Brian Brooks, a former University of Louisville football player, had been training Moore for the past six months, focusing on rehabbing Moore’s knee injury. They worked together three or four days a week, and Brooks has a phone full of pictures and videos of Moore working out in his garage gym.
Brooks said Moore didn’t have a weakness and was always joking around with his 9-year-old son.
When Brooks received the news, he was shocked, and four days later, he is still trying to process it.
“Just a great guy,” Brooks said. “You know, I think that’s the big message here is, you know, everyone talks about Rondale, the football player. Rondale, the young man, is someone that graduated from Purdue in two and a half years. You know, he’s a son that lit up the room talking about buying his mom her first home. He was a brother. He was an uncle. He was someone that gave far more than he ever would take on this earth. Just a great individual.”
Brooks shared that they were on the verge of starting to run routes, and Moore was on pace to return to Minnesota this season.
Crisis Hotline
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988.