Mewelde Moore
Encyclopedia
Mewelde Jaem Cadere Moore (born July 24, 1982 in Hammond, Louisiana
) is an American football
running back
for the Pittsburgh Steelers
of the National Football League
. He was originally drafted by the Minnesota Vikings
in the fourth round of the 2004 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at Tulane, just down the road from his hometown of Baton Rouge, LA where he was a standout performer at Belaire High School
.
(Stanford
). Known for his high-stepping gait and effective straight-arm tactics, Moore ranks 11th in Division I history in all-purpose yards with 6,505 yards. He ran for 100+ yards in 22 games to set Tulane and Conference USA
records. His 36 career TDs rank 2nd in Tulane and C-USA history. Moore ran for 1,138 yards as a junior and 1,421 as a sophomore, respectively, to set Tulane’s single-season rushing record. Moore was also drafted in the 4th round of the 2000 Major League Baseball
draft by the San Diego Padres
. He spent three summers in the organization while in college.
and Football News. Moore started 7 of the 10 games he played in on the season for the Tulane Green Wave. He hauled in a 74-yard scoring pass against Army
. Posted a season-high 131 rushing yards and had 56 receiving yards against East Carolina
. He carried the ball for 114 yards against Cincinnati
. He also had 100-yards rushing against Memphis
and Southern Methodist
.
with 131 rushing yards and 130 receiving. Moore also ran for 201 yards and had 70 yards receiving against Southern. He had a career-best 168 receiving yards with TDs of 32 and 40 yards along with 80 rushing yards and a TD against Army.
in 1948–49. Led the team in rushing and receiving. He averaged 129.5 all-purpose yards per game for the season. He scored a pair of ground TDs and caught a TD pass against East Carolina. He also ran for season-high 147 yards against Southern. Moore carried the ball 32 times for 136 yards and had 5 catches for 58 yards against Southern Mississippi. He caught a 47-yard TD pass against TCU
. Moore ran for 116 yards on 30 carries and had 6 receptions for 80 yards against Hawaii
in the Hawaii Bowl
.
and Walter Camp Award
watch lists honoring the top RB and player in college football. Moore started the first 9 games of the season but missed the final 3 with broken hand that required surgery. He ranked 2nd in C-USA with a 101.0 rushing average per game and 147.0 all-purpose yards per game. Moore ran for 100 yards and had 116 receiving yards against Northwestern State, scoring on passes of 32, 28 and 23 yards. He also, posted 114 rushing yards against Texas
and had TD runs of 6 and 32 yards. Also, he ran for season-best 159 yards against Memphis. Moore had 123 yards on the ground and a 25 yard TD against Louisville
. Moore recorded 115 yards rushing and 55 receiving against Army before suffering season-ending broken hand.
Moore was drafted by the San Diego Padres in the 4th round of the 2000 MLB draft but did not sign.
with the 23rd pick of the fourth round of the 2004 NFL Draft
out of Tulane University
.
Moore played in 10 games with 3 starts and finished 3rd on the team with 379 yards rushing…
Had 27 receptions for 238 yards. He finished 2nd on the team with 20 kickoff returns for 386 yards averaging(19.3 yards per return. He also ran for a season-best 138 yards on a season-high 20 carries against the Tennessee Titans
and had 5 receptions for 30 yards. He also earned Pepsi Rookie of the Week honors for his performance. He had 92 rushing yards in Houston against the Texans
in his first career start, the 3rd-best in team history for a player making their 1st start. He set a team rookie record with 12 catches at Houston, which also tied him for 2nd in team history by a RB. Moore had his 1st career 100-yard rushing day in his return to his collegiate stadium at the Saints
, with 109 yards on 15 carries. Also, he caught 7 passes for 78 yards to end the day with a career-high 187 yards of offense. Moore missed games at the Indianapolis Colts
, at the Green Bay Packers
, against the Detroit Lions
, the Jacksonville Jaguars
, and at the Chicago Bears
with an ankle
sprain. Moore was inactive for game against Chicago. He appeared in both of Vikings’ playoff games. Moore caught 2 passes for 20 yards and returned a pair of kickoffs for 71 yards in Divisional Playoff game at the Philadelphia Eagles
. Returned 3 kickoffs for 36 yards in Wild Card game at Green Bay.
In 2005, Moore enjoyed a breakout year of production as a rusher, receiver and return man. He was the only player in the NFL to score by rush, reception and punt return in 2005. He became only the 2nd Viking to score a rushing, receiving and punt return TD, joining Pro Football Hall of Fame
r Hugh McElhenny
in 1961. Moore posted the 9th punt return TD in Vikings history with a 71-yard TD at the New York Giants
in the Vikings win. The 71-yard punt return TD was the 6th longest punt return TD in team history and 8th-long overall punt return. Moore was part of an NFL-record setting day in Giants Stadium as he joined Koren Robinson
(kickoff return TD) and Darren Sharper
(INT return TD) to become the only team in NFL history to score all 3 ways in a game. Moore ranked 2nd in the NFC
and 3rd in the NFL with an 11.7 yard average on punt returns. Moores 11.7 average was the 4th-best in Vikings history. Moore became the highest-ranked Vikings punt returner (3rd in NFL) since 1997 when David Palmer
was 3rd in the League. Moore led team in rushing (662 yards), punt returns (245 yards) and was 3rd on team in receptions (37). Moore broke the 100-yard rushing mark twice on the season with 101 vs. New Orleans and 122 at Green Bay. The 122 yards at Green Bay on Monday Night Football
made him the 4th Vikings RB to break 100 yards on Monday Night. Moore was honored along with cornerback
Dovonte Edwards
for the Monday Night Green Bay game by being put on ABC's
“Horse Trailer”. Moore scored his 1st NFL TD vs. Green Bay as part of a 2nd-half comeback, catching a 14-yard pass from Daunte Culpepper
that put the Vikings up 20-17 after trailing 0-17 at halftime. Moore's TD with 3:10 left in the game gave the Vikings the lead in the contest before future Viking Ryan Longwell
hit a 39-yard FG with :24 to play for a 20-17 Green Bay lead before Vikings kicker Paul Edinger
connected on a team-record 56-yard field goal as time expired for a 23-20 win. Moore scored his 1st rushing TD in Carolina
on a short 4-yard rush. He scored his 2nd receiving TD of his career in season finale vs. Chicago on a 7-yard pass from Brad Johnson
.
In 2006, Moore led the team with a 10.1 punt return average and tied for 2nd on the team with a career-high 46 receptions. Moored ranked 4th in the NFC in punt return average. He joined Nate Burleson
as the only Vikings in team history to return a punt for a TD on in Monday Night game with his 71-yard return against the New England Patriots
. With the return Moore joined David Palmer to become only the 2nd player in franchise history with two career punt return TDs. He also threw the 7th TD by a RB in team history when he hit TE Jermaine Wiggins
on a halfback pass at the Seattle Seahawks
for a 15-yard TD. The TD pass marked the 2nd time on the season that the Vikings scored on a pass by a non-QB (K Ryan Longwell to TE Richard Owens
vs. Carolina), which tied the team record set in 1984 when RB Alfred Anderson threw two TD passes. Moore also returned a punt 40 yards against the Seahawks. Moore caught the Vikings’ two longest passes on the season, both 50-yarders, one from Brooks Bollinger
vs. New England and the other from Tarvaris Jackson
vs. the St. Louis Rams
. Moore posted the 2nd-longest punt return in team history in a season opener with his 20-yard return at the Washington Redskins
during a Monday Night game. Moore led team with 5 receptions for 57 yards vs. Green Bay. He also, tied team high with 5 receptions vs. the New York Jets
and scored his 1st receiving TD of the season, catching Tarvaris Jackson’s 1st career TD pass on a 35-yard screen pass.
Moore had a limited amount of snaps on offense because of 1st round pick Adrian Peterson, and 2006 starting running back Chester Taylor
. Moore spent most of his time on special teams returning kicks. Moore finished the season with only 20 carries for 113 yards, and 6 catches for 48 yards. For the first time since his rookie season, Moore ended the season without a touchdown. At the end of the season, Moore did not re-sign with the Vikings and hit the free agency market.
. Moore was given the opportunity to start after Willie Parker
and Rashard Mendenhall
were injured. Although he was a backup for most of the year, he racked up 588 yards and 5 touchdowns rushing and 320 yards and one touchdown receiving. He also has one passing touchdown.
community with the National Football Foundation
, United Way, and Memorial Blood Center. Moore was a recipient of the Community Service Award for Business Ethics at the Tulane Council of Entrepreneurs and Business School Council Awards Gala in spring 2003. Moore was a member of the National Honor Society
at Belaire High School
in Baton Rouge. He also supports youth education through his Mewelde Moore Knowledge First Foundation. Moore regularly visits his alma mater, Tulane for fundraising events. He married his college girlfriend, Tymeka. Chris Berman gave him the nickname "Waltzing" Mewelde, a play on the song Waltzing Matilda
. In 2005 he was questioned as a participant in the Minnesota Vikings boat party scandal.
Hammond, Louisiana
Hammond is the largest city in Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 20,049 at the 2009 census. It is home to Southeastern Louisiana University...
) is an American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
for the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He was originally drafted by the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
in the fourth round of the 2004 NFL Draft
2004 NFL Draft
The 2004 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 24-25, 2004 at the theater at Madison Square Garden...
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Tulane, just down the road from his hometown of Baton Rouge, LA where he was a standout performer at Belaire High School
Belaire High School
Belaire High School is a public school in East Baton Rouge Parish. It is located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The school is a part of the East Baton Rouge Parish Public Schools.- History :...
.
College career
Moore is only the 2nd player in NCAA history to rush for 4,000 yards and have 2,000 yards receiving in a career, joining former Viking Darrin NelsonDarrin Nelson
Darren Milo Nelson is a former professional American football player in the National Football League....
(Stanford
Stanford Cardinal football
The Stanford Cardinal football program represents Stanford University in college football at the NCAA Division I FBS level and is a member of the Pac-12 Conference's North Division. Stanford, the top-ranked academic institution with an FBS program, has a highly successful football tradition. The...
). Known for his high-stepping gait and effective straight-arm tactics, Moore ranks 11th in Division I history in all-purpose yards with 6,505 yards. He ran for 100+ yards in 22 games to set Tulane and Conference USA
Conference USA
Conference USA, officially abbreviated C-USA, is a college athletic conference whose member institutions are located within the Southern United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I in all sports...
records. His 36 career TDs rank 2nd in Tulane and C-USA history. Moore ran for 1,138 yards as a junior and 1,421 as a sophomore, respectively, to set Tulane’s single-season rushing record. Moore was also drafted in the 4th round of the 2000 Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
draft by the San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
. He spent three summers in the organization while in college.
2000
In 2000, Moore was named C-USA's Freshman of the Year. He was also a Freshman All-America choice by The Sporting NewsThe Sporting News
Sporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...
and Football News. Moore started 7 of the 10 games he played in on the season for the Tulane Green Wave. He hauled in a 74-yard scoring pass against Army
Army Black Knights football
The Army Black Knights football program represents the United States Military Academy. Army was recognized as the national champions in 1944, 1945 and 1946....
. Posted a season-high 131 rushing yards and had 56 receiving yards against East Carolina
East Carolina Pirates football
The East Carolina Pirates is a college football team that represents East Carolina University . The team is currently a member of the Conference USA, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association .The Pirates have won seven conference championships and...
. He carried the ball for 114 yards against Cincinnati
Cincinnati Bearcats football
The Cincinnati Bearcats football program represents the University of Cincinnati in a college football. They compete at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level as members of the Big East Conference. The Bearcat football program is one of the nation's oldest, having fielded a team as...
. He also had 100-yards rushing against Memphis
Memphis Tigers football
The Memphis Tigers football team represents the University of Memphis in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. The Tigers compete in Conference USA...
and Southern Methodist
SMU Mustangs
The SMU Mustangs is the name of the athletic teams representing Southern Methodist University. The Mustangs participate in the NCAA's Division I as a member of Conference USA. In 2005, SMU accepted an invitation to the Western Division of Conference USA, and left the Western Athletic Conference...
.
2001
In 2001, Moore was named 1st-Team All-C-USA. He also set Tulane single-season rushing record with 1,422 yards. He broke the 100-yard rushing mark 7 times during the season. Moore also set school record with 249 rushing yards on 28 attempts, breaking the old mark by 2 yards that had stood since 1970 by former Tulane Green Wave great David Abercrombie while hauling in 6 passes for 87 yards. He became the 1st Tulane player to break the 100-yard mark in rushing and receiving, in a game against NavyNavy Midshipmen football
The Navy Midshipmen football team represents the United States Naval Academy in NCAA Division I-A college football. They are a Division I Football Bowl Subdivision independent school and coached by Ken Niumatalolo since December 2007...
with 131 rushing yards and 130 receiving. Moore also ran for 201 yards and had 70 yards receiving against Southern. He had a career-best 168 receiving yards with TDs of 32 and 40 yards along with 80 rushing yards and a TD against Army.
2002
In 2002, Moore, once again, was named to the All-C-USA team by The Sporting News. Moore became only the 2nd player in Tulane history to run for 1,000 yards in consecutive seasons, joining Eddie PriceEddie Price
Edward J. Price was an American football running back for the New York Giants of the National Football League. He played college football at Tulane University and was drafted in the second round of the 1950 NFL Draft. Price led the NFL in rushing in 1951...
in 1948–49. Led the team in rushing and receiving. He averaged 129.5 all-purpose yards per game for the season. He scored a pair of ground TDs and caught a TD pass against East Carolina. He also ran for season-high 147 yards against Southern. Moore carried the ball 32 times for 136 yards and had 5 catches for 58 yards against Southern Mississippi. He caught a 47-yard TD pass against TCU
TCU Horned Frogs football
The TCU Horned Frogs football team is the intercollegiate football team of Texas Christian University. TCU competes as a member of the Mountain West Conference in the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, but will move to the Big 12 Conference for the 2012 season. TCU began playing football...
. Moore ran for 116 yards on 30 carries and had 6 receptions for 80 yards against Hawaii
Hawaii Warriors football
The Hawaii Warriors football team represents the University of Hawaii at Mānoa in NCAA Division I FBS college football. The team, which is currently coached by Greg McMackin, is part of the Western Athletic Conference until 2012, when the team joins the Mountain West Conference.The Hawaii Warriors...
in the Hawaii Bowl
2002 Hawaii Bowl
The 2002 ConAgra Foods Hawaii Bowl was the inaugural Hawaii Bowl game and matched the hometown Hawaii Warriors with the Tulane Green Wave. Hawaii came into the game 10-2 and Tulane came into the game 6-5....
.
2003
In 2003, Moore earned 1st-Team C-USA honors. He was named to Doak WalkerDoak Walker Award
The Doak Walker Award, first awarded in 1990, honors the United States's top college football running back. It is named after the Southern Methodist and Detroit Lions football player Doak Walker...
and Walter Camp Award
Walter Camp Award
The Walter Camp Player of the Year Award is given annually to the collegiate American football Player of the Year, as decided by a group of National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I-A head coaches and sports information directors under the auspices of the Walter Camp Football Foundation;...
watch lists honoring the top RB and player in college football. Moore started the first 9 games of the season but missed the final 3 with broken hand that required surgery. He ranked 2nd in C-USA with a 101.0 rushing average per game and 147.0 all-purpose yards per game. Moore ran for 100 yards and had 116 receiving yards against Northwestern State, scoring on passes of 32, 28 and 23 yards. He also, posted 114 rushing yards against Texas
Texas Longhorns football
The Texas Longhorns football program is the intercollegiate football team representing The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas. The team currently competes in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big 12 Conference which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National...
and had TD runs of 6 and 32 yards. Also, he ran for season-best 159 yards against Memphis. Moore had 123 yards on the ground and a 25 yard TD against Louisville
Louisville Cardinals football
The Louisville Cardinals football team represents the University of Louisville in college football as a member of the Big East Conference. Howard Schnellenberger started the program's rise to relevancy after winning the Miami Hurricanes' first national championship...
. Moore recorded 115 yards rushing and 55 receiving against Army before suffering season-ending broken hand.
Moore was drafted by the San Diego Padres in the 4th round of the 2000 MLB draft but did not sign.
Minnesota Vikings
He was selected by the Minnesota VikingsMinnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
with the 23rd pick of the fourth round of the 2004 NFL Draft
2004 NFL Draft
The 2004 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 24-25, 2004 at the theater at Madison Square Garden...
out of Tulane University
Tulane University
Tulane University is a private, nonsectarian research university located in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States...
.
Moore played in 10 games with 3 starts and finished 3rd on the team with 379 yards rushing…
Had 27 receptions for 238 yards. He finished 2nd on the team with 20 kickoff returns for 386 yards averaging(19.3 yards per return. He also ran for a season-best 138 yards on a season-high 20 carries against the Tennessee Titans
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
and had 5 receptions for 30 yards. He also earned Pepsi Rookie of the Week honors for his performance. He had 92 rushing yards in Houston against the Texans
Houston Texans
The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston, Texas. The team is currently a member of the Southern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in his first career start, the 3rd-best in team history for a player making their 1st start. He set a team rookie record with 12 catches at Houston, which also tied him for 2nd in team history by a RB. Moore had his 1st career 100-yard rushing day in his return to his collegiate stadium at the Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
, with 109 yards on 15 carries. Also, he caught 7 passes for 78 yards to end the day with a career-high 187 yards of offense. Moore missed games at the Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
, at the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
, against the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
, the Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, and at the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
with an ankle
Ankle
The ankle joint is formed where the foot and the leg meet. The ankle, or talocrural joint, is a synovial hinge joint that connects the distal ends of the tibia and fibula in the lower limb with the proximal end of the talus bone in the foot...
sprain. Moore was inactive for game against Chicago. He appeared in both of Vikings’ playoff games. Moore caught 2 passes for 20 yards and returned a pair of kickoffs for 71 yards in Divisional Playoff game at the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Returned 3 kickoffs for 36 yards in Wild Card game at Green Bay.
In 2005, Moore enjoyed a breakout year of production as a rusher, receiver and return man. He was the only player in the NFL to score by rush, reception and punt return in 2005. He became only the 2nd Viking to score a rushing, receiving and punt return TD, joining Pro Football Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
r Hugh McElhenny
Hugh McElhenny
Hugh Edward McElhenny is a former American football running back in the National Football League who played from 1952–1964, for the San Francisco 49ers, Minnesota Vikings, New York Giants, and Detroit Lions. He was noted for his explosive, elusive running style and was frequently called "The...
in 1961. Moore posted the 9th punt return TD in Vikings history with a 71-yard TD at the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the Vikings win. The 71-yard punt return TD was the 6th longest punt return TD in team history and 8th-long overall punt return. Moore was part of an NFL-record setting day in Giants Stadium as he joined Koren Robinson
Koren Robinson
Koren Lynard Robinson is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Seahawks ninth overall in the 2001 NFL Draft. He played college football at North Carolina State....
(kickoff return TD) and Darren Sharper
Darren Sharper
Darren Mallory Sharper is an American football safety who currently is a free agent. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the second round of the 1997 NFL Draft. He played college football at William & Mary....
(INT return TD) to become the only team in NFL history to score all 3 ways in a game. Moore ranked 2nd in the NFC
National Football Conference
The National Football Conference is one of the two conferences of the National Football League . This conference and its counterpart, the American Football Conference , currently contain 16 teams each, making up the 32 teams of the NFL.-Current teams:Since 2002, the NFC has comprised 16 teams,...
and 3rd in the NFL with an 11.7 yard average on punt returns. Moores 11.7 average was the 4th-best in Vikings history. Moore became the highest-ranked Vikings punt returner (3rd in NFL) since 1997 when David Palmer
David Palmer (American football)
David Lee Palmer is a retired American football player from Birmingham, Alabama. He played the position of wide receiver in college at the University of Alabama and professionally for seven seasons with the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League.Palmer was a star quarterback for...
was 3rd in the League. Moore led team in rushing (662 yards), punt returns (245 yards) and was 3rd on team in receptions (37). Moore broke the 100-yard rushing mark twice on the season with 101 vs. New Orleans and 122 at Green Bay. The 122 yards at Green Bay on Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
made him the 4th Vikings RB to break 100 yards on Monday Night. Moore was honored along with cornerback
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
Dovonte Edwards
Dovonte Edwards
Dovonte Edwards is a American and Canadian football cornerback for the Omaha Nighthawks of the United Football League. He was signed by the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2005...
for the Monday Night Green Bay game by being put on ABC's
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
“Horse Trailer”. Moore scored his 1st NFL TD vs. Green Bay as part of a 2nd-half comeback, catching a 14-yard pass from Daunte Culpepper
Daunte Culpepper
Daunte Rachard Culpepper is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He last played for the Sacramento Mountain Lions of the United Football League . Prior to joining the UFL, Culpepper enjoyed a successful National Football League career after being drafted 11th overall in...
that put the Vikings up 20-17 after trailing 0-17 at halftime. Moore's TD with 3:10 left in the game gave the Vikings the lead in the contest before future Viking Ryan Longwell
Ryan Longwell
Ryan Walker Longwell is an American football placekicker for the Minnesota Vikings in the National Football League. After playing college football for the California Golden Bears, he started his professional football career with the San Francisco 49ers, but never played a game for the franchise...
hit a 39-yard FG with :24 to play for a 20-17 Green Bay lead before Vikings kicker Paul Edinger
Paul Edinger
Paul Edinger is a gridiron football placekicker, who is currently a Free Agent of the Arena Football League. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft...
connected on a team-record 56-yard field goal as time expired for a 23-20 win. Moore scored his 1st rushing TD in Carolina
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
on a short 4-yard rush. He scored his 2nd receiving TD of his career in season finale vs. Chicago on a 7-yard pass from Brad Johnson
Brad Johnson (American football)
James Bradley Johnson is a former National Football League Super Bowl-winning quarterback. He was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the ninth round of the 1992 NFL Draft. He played college football at Florida State.-Early years:Brad went to Charles D...
.
In 2006, Moore led the team with a 10.1 punt return average and tied for 2nd on the team with a career-high 46 receptions. Moored ranked 4th in the NFC in punt return average. He joined Nate Burleson
Nate Burleson
Nathaniel Burleson is an American football player, who currently plays wide receiver for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League . Burleson played college football for the University of Nevada Wolf Pack, and was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the third round of the 2003 NFL...
as the only Vikings in team history to return a punt for a TD on in Monday Night game with his 71-yard return against the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
. With the return Moore joined David Palmer to become only the 2nd player in franchise history with two career punt return TDs. He also threw the 7th TD by a RB in team history when he hit TE Jermaine Wiggins
Jermaine Wiggins
Jermaine Wiggins is an American football tight end who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent in 1999. He played college football at Georgia....
on a halfback pass at the Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
for a 15-yard TD. The TD pass marked the 2nd time on the season that the Vikings scored on a pass by a non-QB (K Ryan Longwell to TE Richard Owens
Richard Owens
Richard Owens is a former professional football player. He played tight end for the Minnesota Vikings, who acquired him as an undrafted free agent in 2004. He played college football at Louisville....
vs. Carolina), which tied the team record set in 1984 when RB Alfred Anderson threw two TD passes. Moore also returned a punt 40 yards against the Seahawks. Moore caught the Vikings’ two longest passes on the season, both 50-yarders, one from Brooks Bollinger
Brooks Bollinger
Brooks Bollinger is a retired American football quarterback. He was drafted by the New York Jets in the sixth round of the 2003 NFL Draft...
vs. New England and the other from Tarvaris Jackson
Tarvaris Jackson
Tarvaris DeAndre Jackson is an American football quarterback who is currently a member of the Seattle Seahawks. He was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft...
vs. the St. Louis Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
. Moore posted the 2nd-longest punt return in team history in a season opener with his 20-yard return at the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
during a Monday Night game. Moore led team with 5 receptions for 57 yards vs. Green Bay. He also, tied team high with 5 receptions vs. the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and scored his 1st receiving TD of the season, catching Tarvaris Jackson’s 1st career TD pass on a 35-yard screen pass.
Moore had a limited amount of snaps on offense because of 1st round pick Adrian Peterson, and 2006 starting running back Chester Taylor
Chester Taylor
Chester Lamar Taylor also known as "Che Tay" is an American football running back of the National Football League who is currently on the Arizona Cardinals. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the sixth round of the 2002 NFL Draft...
. Moore spent most of his time on special teams returning kicks. Moore finished the season with only 20 carries for 113 yards, and 6 catches for 48 yards. For the first time since his rookie season, Moore ended the season without a touchdown. At the end of the season, Moore did not re-sign with the Vikings and hit the free agency market.
Pittsburgh Steelers
On March 3, 2008, Moore signed a three year contract to join the Pittsburgh SteelersPittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
. Moore was given the opportunity to start after Willie Parker
Willie Parker
"Fast" Willie Everette Parker Jr. is an American football running back for the Virginia Destroyers of the United Football League. He was signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 2004. He played college football at North Carolina...
and Rashard Mendenhall
Rashard Mendenhall
Rashard Jamal Mendenhall is an American football running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Steelers 23rd overall in the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Illinois....
were injured. Although he was a backup for most of the year, he racked up 588 yards and 5 touchdowns rushing and 320 yards and one touchdown receiving. He also has one passing touchdown.
Accomplishments
- Holds Vikings record with a 10.5-yard career punt return average.
- One of only two players in team history (David Palmer) to have 2 career punt return TDs.
- Owns 2 of the 10 longest punt returns in team history with his pair of 71-yard TDs.
- The Vikings are 4-0 in games when Moore runs for 100+ yards.
- Ranks tied with Herschel Walker for 10th place in Vikings history with 4 career 100- yard rushing games.
- Along with Koren Robinson, who had a kickoff return TD at N.Y. Giants (11/13/05), marked only the 2nd time in team history posted a punt return and kickoff return TD in the same game, the other occurring in 1999 at Kansas City when Robert TateRobert TateRobert Tate was a star wide receiver and kick returner in college for the University of Cincinnati. Tate played nine seasons of professional football in the NFL. Originally a wide receiver, he was converted to defensive back upon entering the NFL. Tate played at Cincinnati with notable NFL players...
(KOR) and Randy MossRandy MossRandy Gene Moss is a former American football wide receiver. He was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the first round of the 1998 NFL Draft...
(PR) accomplished the feat. - Set a Vikings’ record with 610 combined net yards in a 3-game span in 2004 (at Houston, at New Orleans, vs. Tennessee), topping the old mark of 573 set by Chuck ForemanChuck ForemanChuck Foreman is a retired NFL football player.He was a running back during his NFL career, although he often caught passes out of the backfield.-Early career:...
in 1976. - Joined Onterrio SmithOnterrio SmithOnterrio Raymond Lloyd Smith is a former professional American football Running back who played for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League...
as the only Viking rookies in team history to rush for consecutive 100-yard games (at New Orleans, vs. Tennessee) in 2004. - Was the 1st RB selected from Tulane by the Vikings since taking Tommy MasonTommy MasonThomas Cyril Mason is a former American football running back in the National Football League. He was selected first overall by the expansion Minnesota Vikings in the 1961 NFL Draft. In six seasons with the Vikings, he rushed for 3,252 yards and 28 touchdowns. In 1967, he was signed by the Los...
#1 overall in the 1961 inaugural draft, the 1st player ever drafted by the team.
Personal
Moore took 24 credits in spring 2004 so he could graduate on time with a double major in Finance and Accounting from Tulane University. Moore was noted for winning mathematics contests before matriculating at Tulane. Moore is active in the Twin CitiesTwin cities
Twin cities are a special case of two cities or urban centres which are founded in close geographic proximity and then grow into each other over time...
community with the National Football Foundation
National Football Foundation
The National Football Foundation is a non-profit organization founded in 1947 by General Douglas MacArthur, legendary Army Black Knights football coach Earl "Red" Blaik and journalist Grantland Rice...
, United Way, and Memorial Blood Center. Moore was a recipient of the Community Service Award for Business Ethics at the Tulane Council of Entrepreneurs and Business School Council Awards Gala in spring 2003. Moore was a member of the National Honor Society
National Honor Society
The National Honor Society is a recognition program for high school students in grades 10-12 in the United States and in several other countries...
at Belaire High School
Belaire High School
Belaire High School is a public school in East Baton Rouge Parish. It is located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The school is a part of the East Baton Rouge Parish Public Schools.- History :...
in Baton Rouge. He also supports youth education through his Mewelde Moore Knowledge First Foundation. Moore regularly visits his alma mater, Tulane for fundraising events. He married his college girlfriend, Tymeka. Chris Berman gave him the nickname "Waltzing" Mewelde, a play on the song Waltzing Matilda
Waltzing Matilda
"Waltzing Matilda" is Australia's most widely known bush ballad. A country folk song, the song has been referred to as "the unofficial national anthem of Australia"....
. In 2005 he was questioned as a participant in the Minnesota Vikings boat party scandal.