By OLIVER SALT, US ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
Published: 10:00 EST, 7 March 2026 | Updated: 10:04 EST, 7 March 2026
Furious Atlanta Falcons star Kyle Pitts has accused players of showing 'fake emotions' online after only 'six or seven' of Rondale Moore's ex-teammates turned up at his funeral on Friday.
The NFL suffered another devastating tragedy last month after Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Moore, 25, was found dead in his garage with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
His shock passing marked the second sudden death in the league in the space of a few months, after Dallas Cowboys star Marshawn Kneeland shot himself in the head after evading Texas police back in November.
After the heartbreaking news emerged last month, a host of NFL players took to social media to pay tribute to Moore, who had just spent a year in Minnesota after previous stints with the Falcons and the Arizona Cardinals.
Yet according to Pitts, who remained close friends with Moore up until his death after playing together in Atlanta, few made the effort to attend his funeral on Friday.
The tight end shared a photo of his late teammate's funeral pamphlet on his Instagram story and wrote: 'Crazy how only about 6 maybe 7 of your teammates in the NFL showed up for you today smfh...
Kyle Pitts
Rondale Moore
The Atlanta Falcons star hit out at 'fake' NFL players who failed to show up at Moore's funeral
'All that talk and fake emotion and nobody want to show up to lay you to rest... Just at a loss of words.'
Pitts also added: 'Be woke on who your "Brothers" really are, who really rock with you in all areas of life not just in front of cameras or the public! Folks just want to throw up a post and not mean it but we ball yb as Kur said "it might hurt a little" but we ball'.
Moore played with Pitts for one season after being traded to Atlanta by Arizona, who selected him with the 49th overall pick in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft. Pitts was taken fourth overall that same year.
Following last month's tragic news, the former No. 4 pick shared a series of photos of them together on Instagram and said: 'Midget Mack… This can’t be real dawg [heartbroken emoji] I’m really sitting here crying on even what to say or think bruh. We literally was just on the phone yesterday morning'.
He continued: 'I’m so hurt dawg , I’d never thought I’d be making this type of post let alone it be about you! Rondale, you’re truly at peace now watching over us but wish you didn’t leave us man'.
'I love you dawg and 4 is going to live on forever,' Pitts added at the end of the post.
Moore's death sent shockwaves across football, where fans, players and coaches are all struggling with the tragedy.
In a team statement, the Vikings said they were 'deeply saddened' by the tragedy and are offering his teammates and coaches counseling and emotional support.
Pitts remained close friends with the wide receiver after spending a year together in Atlanta
He shared a series of photos of them together on Instagram after his tragic passing last month
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
'I am devastated by the news of Rondale's death,' Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell said in a statement. '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. 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. My prayers are with Rondale's family, friends, teammates and coaches as we all deal with this tragic news.'
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.
The diminutive wideout stood at just 5ft 7in, 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 Purdue, the Cardinals picked Moore in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft. He was traded to the Falcons in 2024 before signing a one-year, $2million deal 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.
Minnesota Vikings