Oregon's Dante Moore a model for mental health advocacy, teammates say

Before Dante Moore’s offseason of on-field development began, Oregon’s starting quarterback used his platform as one of college football's most well-known players to advocate for a statewide improvement off the field. Moore sent a letter to Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek on March 3 in which he discussed his own struggles with depression and the pressures that come with playing college football at a high level.

He asked for the governor’s support for mental health services in the state. "In my life, what made the difference was support," Moore wrote. "Support from my friends, love from my family, and access to the resources I needed to get better.

As a young Black man and athlete, reaching out for help can often feel like climbing an uphill battle. It required vulnerability and trust, and I was fortunate to get the care I needed. " The Oregonian/OregonLive received a copy of Moore’s letter and wrote about it in a story published March 16.

This past week, following an Oregon spring practice, Moore talked to the media for the first time since his letter became public. “There are a lot of times in football, we have anxiety of performing on the field, taking care of our families, trying to keep up with our schoolwork, football, just all your things going on, and it can be stressful,” said Moore, who spoke openly about his mental health battles as a freshman at UCLA in 2023. Not long after joining the Bruins, his mother was diagnosed with breast cancer in the spring of 2023 – she was declared cancer-free in the summer of 2024 – and during that ensuing fall season he struggled to have success on the field after arriving in Los Angeles with soaring expectations as a highly touted five-star recruit out of Detroit.