Kenny Moore II

For the wide receiver, see Kenneth Moore (American football).

Kenny Moore II

Moore in 2022
No. 23 – Indianapolis Colts
Position:	Cornerback
Personal information
Born:	(1995-08-23) August 23, 1995 (age 28) Valdosta, Georgia, U.S.
Height:	5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Weight:	190 lb (86 kg)
Career information
High school:	Lowndes (Valdosta, Georgia)
College:	Valdosta State (2013–2016)
Undrafted:	2017
Career history
New England Patriots (2017)* Indianapolis Colts (2017–present)
* Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Roster status:	Active
Career highlights and awards
Pro Bowl (2021) First Team All-American (2016) Second Team All-American (2015) First Team All-GSC (2015) Second Team All-GSC (2016)
Career NFL statistics as of 2023
Total tackles: 516 Sacks: 9.5 Forced fumbles: 4 Fumble recoveries: 1 Interceptions: 17 Pass deflections: 55 Defensive touchdowns: 3
Player stats at NFL.com  ·  PFR

Kenneth Moore II (born August 23, 1995) is an American football cornerback for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Valdosta State, and signed with the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2017.

Early years

Moore did not play football until his senior year at Lowndes High School in Valdosta, Georgia. ^{[1] [2]} He recorded 18 tackles, two interceptions, and two pass breakups in 2012. Lowndes had a 9–2 record and advanced to the GHSA Class AAAAAA Playoffs. ^[2] He also participated in soccer, basketball and track at Lowndes. ^[3]

College career

Moore played for the Valdosta State Blazers of Valdosta State University from 2013 to 2016. ^[2] He began his college career as a cornerback and converted to safety his senior season. ^{[3] [4]} He played in 10 games, starting one, in 2013, recording 12 solo tackles, six tackle assists and one interception. ^{[2] [5]} Moore played in all 13 games in 2014, totaling 26 solo tackles, 11 tackle assists, five pass breakups, two interceptions, and one forced fumble. ^{[2] [6]} He played in 12 games in 2015, recording 34 solo tackles, 17 tackle assists, one sack, six pass breakups and three interceptions, two of which were returned for touchdowns. ^{[7] [2]} He earned First-team All-Gulf South Conference (GSC), D2CAA Second-team All-Super Region Two and USA College Football Division II Second-team All-American honors in 2015. ^{[8] [9] [10]} Moore played in 11 games in 2016, totaling 45 solo tackles, 20 tackle assists, one sack, eight pass breakups and five interceptions. ^[11] He garnered GSC All-Academic, Second-team All-GSC, D2CAA Second-team All-Super Region Two, HERO Sports D2 First-team All-American and AFCA First-team All-American recognition in 2016. ^{[12] [13] [1] [14] [15]} His 11 career interceptions ranked fifth all-time in school history. ^[1] Moore majored in mass media at Valdosta State. ^[16] In January 2017, he played in the Tropical Bowl, a college football all-star game. ^[17]

Professional career

Pre-draft measurables

Height	Weight	Arm length	Hand span	40-yard dash	Three-cone drill	Vertical jump	Broad jump	Bench press
5 ft 9+1⁄8 in (1.76 m)	190 lb (86 kg)	32+5⁄8 in (0.83 m)	9+3⁄8 in (0.24 m)	4.47 s	6.86 s	40.5 in (1.03 m)	10 ft 7 in (3.23 m)	15 reps
All values from Valdosta State's Pro Day [18] [19]

New England Patriots

On May 5, 2017, the New England Patriots signed Moore to a three-year, $1.66 million contract that includes a signing bonus of $2,000 as an undrafted free agent. ^{[20] [21]}

Throughout training camp, Moore competed for a roster spot as a backup cornerback against Cyrus Jones, Justin Coleman, D. J. Killings, and Dwayne Thomas. ^[22] On September 2, 2017, the New England Patriots waived Moore as part of their final roster cuts despite a strong performance in training camp and the preseason. ^{[23] [24] [25]}

Indianapolis Colts

2017 season

On September 3, 2017, the Indianapolis Colts claimed Moore off of waivers. ^[26] Head coach Chuck Pagano named Moore the fifth cornerback on the depth chart to begin the regular season, behind Vontae Davis, Rashaan Melvin, Nate Hairston, and Quincy Wilson. ^[27]

He made his professional regular season debut in the Colts’ season-opener at the Los Angeles Rams and made one solo tackle during their 46–9 loss. In Week 13, Moore earned his first career start after Rashaan Melvin sustained a hand injury. ^[28] He finished the Colts’ 30–10 loss at the Jacksonville Jaguars with five combined tackles. Moore remained a starting cornerback for the remaining four games after Rashaan Melvin was officially placed on injured reserve. On December 14, 2017, Moore recorded six combined tackles, broke up two pass attempts, and made his first career interception during a 25–13 loss against the Denver Broncos in Week 15. Moore intercepted a pass by Broncos’ quarterback Trevor Siemian, that was originally intended for wide receiver Demaryius Thomas, and returned it for a 25-yard gain during the first quarter. ^[29] He finished his rookie season in 2017 with 38 combined tackles (32 solo), five pass deflections, and one interception in 16 games and five starts. ^[30] On December 31, 2017, the Indianapolis Colts fired head coach Chuck Pagano after they finished the season with a 4–12 record. ^[31]

2018 season

Moore playing for the Colts in 2018.

Throughout training camp, Moore competed to be a starting cornerback against Nate Hairston, Quincy Wilson, and Pierre Desir. ^[32] Head coach Frank Reich named Moore and Nate Hairston the starting cornerback duo to begin the regular season. ^[33]

He started in the Colts' season-opener against the Cincinnati Bengals and recorded three combined tackles, deflected a pass, and made an interception during a 34–23 loss. Moore was inactive for the Colts’ Week 5 loss at the Patriots due to a concussion. ^[34] In Week 11, he collected a season-high ten combined tackles (nine solo) and was credited with half a sack as the Colts defeated the Tennessee Titans 38–10. He finished the season with 77 combined tackles (63 solo), 11 pass deflections, three interceptions, and 1.5 sacks in 15 games and 15 starts. ^[30] Moore received an overall grade of 71.8 from Pro Football Focus, which ranked 32nd among all qualifying cornerbacks in 2018. ^[35]

2019 season

On June 13, 2019, Moore signed a four-year, $36 million extension with the Colts. The deal included $18 million guaranteed, and made him the highest-paid slot cornerback in the league. ^[36]

In Week 9 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Moore recorded his first interception of the season off Mason Rudolph and returned the ball for 35 yards in the 26–24 loss. ^[37] In Week 10 against the Miami Dolphins, Moore recovered a fumble forced by teammate Shaquille Leonard on tight end Mike Gesicki in the 16–12 loss. ^[38] In Week 11 against the Jaguars, Moore recorded a team-high eight tackles and sacked Nick Foles in the 33–13 win. ^[39] In Week 12 against the Houston Texans, Moore picked off Deshaun Watson in the second quarter of the 20–17 loss. ^[40] His 2019 season received a grade of 75.5 from Pro Football Focus. ^[41]

2020 season

In Week 2 against the Minnesota Vikings, Moore recorded his first interception of the season off a pass thrown by Kirk Cousins during the 28–11 win. ^[42] In Week 3 against the New York Jets, Moore recorded his first sack of the season on Sam Darnold during the 36–7 win. ^[43] In Week 8 against the Detroit Lions, Moore recorded an interception off a pass thrown by Matthew Stafford and returned it 29 yards for his first NFL touchdown during the 41–21 win. ^[44] In Week 14 against the Las Vegas Raiders, Moore made a spectacular one-handed interception off a pass thrown by Derek Carr during the Colts' 44–27 win. During the game, Moore also forced a fumble on Hunter Renfrow that was recovered by the Colts. ^[45] Moore was named the AFC Defensive Player of the Week for his performance in Week 14. ^[46]

2021 season

Moore at the 2022 Pro Bowl.

Moore started all 17 games and totaled 101 tackles (81 solo), 6.0 tackles for loss, 1.0 sack, 13 passes defensed, four interceptions, one forced fumble and one special teams stop. He was one of only two NFL defensive backs to register 100 tackles and at least 10 passes defensed in 2021. Moore was named to his first career Pro Bowl. ^[47] He was also the team's nominee for the Walter Payton Man Of The Year Award. ^{[48] [49]}

2022 season

Moore returned as a starting cornerback for the Colts. He started the first 12 games before suffering an ankle injury in Week 12. He missed the next four weeks before being placed on injured reserve on January 4, 2023. ^[50] He finished the season with 65 tackles, one sack, and four passes defensed through 12 starts.

2023 season

In a Week 9 match against the Carolina Panthers, Moore intercepted Panthers quarterback Bryce Young twice, returning both interceptions for touchdowns, making him the first Colts defensive player in franchise history to score more than one defensive touchdown in one game. ^[51] He was named American Football Conference Defensive Player of the Week for his performance. ^[52] He started all 16 games in 2023, recording 93 tackles, 1.5 sacks, six pass breakups, three interceptions and two touchdowns.

NFL career statistics

Year	Team	Games		Tackles				Fumbles			Interceptions
		GP	GS	Comb	Solo	Ast	Sack	FF	FR	Yds	Int	Yds	Avg	Lng	TD	PD
2017	IND	16	5	38	32	6	0.0	1	0	0	1	25	25.0	25	0	5
2018	IND	15	15	77	63	11	1.5	1	0	0	3	52	17.3	32	0	11
2019	IND	11	11	61	50	14	2.5	0	1	1	2	36	18.0	35	0	3
2020	IND	16	14	80	68	12	2.0	1	0	0	4	45	11.3	29	1	13
2021	IND	17	16	102	82	20	1.0	1	0	0	4	78	19.5	32	0	13
2022	IND	12	12	65	50	15	1.0	0	0	0	0	0	0.0	0	0	4
2023	IND	16	16	93	68	25	1.5	0	0	0	3	115	38.3	66	2	6
Career [53]		103	89	516	413	103	9.5	4	1	1	17	351	20.4	66	3	55

References

1. "Moore named AFCA First Team All-American". ValdostaDailyTimes.com. December 8, 2016. Archived from the original on October 13, 2017. Retrieved October 12, 2017.
2. "Kenny Moore". VStateBlazers.com. Archived from the original on October 13, 2017. Retrieved October 12, 2017.
3. Lewis, Juston (April 20, 2017). "Kenny Moore: from concessions to draft". VSUSpectator.com. Archived from the original on October 13, 2017. Retrieved October 13, 2017.
4. "2013 Football Roster". VStateBlazers.com. Archived from the original on September 27, 2013. Retrieved October 13, 2017.
5. "2013 Football Cumulative Statistics". VStateBlazers.com. Archived from the original on October 13, 2017. Retrieved October 12, 2017.
6. "2014 Football Cumulative Statistics". VStateBlazers.com. Archived from the original on October 13, 2017. Retrieved October 12, 2017.
7. "2015 Football Cumulative Statistics". VStateBlazers.com. Archived from the original on October 13, 2017. Retrieved October 12, 2017.
8. "2015 All-GSC Football First Team" (PDF). RoarLions.com. p. 3. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 13, 2017. Retrieved October 12, 2017.
9. Hawkins, Kenny (December 1, 2015). "Houston, Lancaster named to D2CAA All-Region Football Team". wjhl.com. Archived from the original on October 13, 2017. Retrieved October 12, 2017.
10. May, David (January 6, 2016). "FIHS alum David May named football Rookie All-American". ClayTodayOnline.com. Archived from the original on October 13, 2017. Retrieved October 12, 2017.
11. "2016 Football Cumulative Statistics". VStateBlazers.com. Archived from the original on October 13, 2017. Retrieved October 12, 2017.
12. "Tucker Leads 14 Lions on All-GSC Football Team". RoarLions.com. November 16, 2016. Archived from the original on October 13, 2017. Retrieved October 12, 2017.
13. "Tucker Headlines 23 GSC All-Region Honorees". GSCSports.org. December 5, 2016. Archived from the original on October 13, 2017. Retrieved October 12, 2017.
14. "Blazer Football Record Book" (PDF). Static.VStateBlazers.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 13, 2017. Retrieved October 13, 2017.
15. Prosba, Zach (December 30, 2016). "2016 D2 Football All-America Team". HeroSports.com. Archived from the original on October 13, 2017. Retrieved October 13, 2017.
16. "2016 GSC Fireseeds Fall Academic Honor Roll" (PDF). sidearm.sites.s3.amazonaws.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 13, 2017. Retrieved October 13, 2017.
17. "Former Blazers Make Waves in Tropical Bowl". ValdostaToday.com. January 25, 2017. Archived from the original on October 13, 2017. Retrieved October 13, 2017.
18. Davis, Derrick (April 29, 2017). "VSU's Moore, Brown sign NFL contracts as UDFAs". valdostadailytimes.com. Retrieved October 5, 2018.
19. "2017 Draft Scout Kenny Moore, Valdosta State NFL Draft Scout College Football Profile". draftscout.com. Retrieved November 20, 2022.
20. "Patriots Sign Sixth-Round Draft Pick Conor McDermott; Sign 19 Rookie Free Agents". Patriots.com. May 5, 2017. Retrieved October 20, 2017.
21. "Spotrac.com: Kenny Moore contract". Spotrac.com. Retrieved October 5, 2018.
22. Kyed, Doug (July 29, 2017). "Patriots Undrafted Cornerback Kenny Moore Opening Eyes at Training Camp". NESN.com. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
23. "Patriots reach 53-man limit". Patriots.com. September 2, 2017. Archived from the original on October 13, 2017. Retrieved October 13, 2017.
24. Kyed, Doug (July 29, 2017). "Patriots Undrafted Cornerback Kenny Moore Opening Eyes At Training Camp". nesn.com. Archived from the original on October 21, 2017. Retrieved October 20, 2017.
25. Buchmasser, Bernd (September 3, 2017). "2017 NFL roster cuts: Patriots lose WR Austin Carr to Saints, CB Kenny Moore II to Colts". patspulpit.com. Archived from the original on October 21, 2017. Retrieved October 20, 2017.
26. Walker, Andrew (September 3, 2017). "Colts Claim Five Players Off Waivers". Colts.com. Archived from the original on October 13, 2017. Retrieved October 13, 2017.
27. Mock, Brett (September 5, 2017). "First Look at the 2017 Colts Regular Season Depth Chart". stampedeblue.com. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
28. Felger, Cody (December 27, 2017). "Colts cornerback Rashaan Melvin Headed to IR". stampedeblue.com. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
29. "Denver Broncos at Indianapolis Colts – December 14th, 2017". pro-football-reference.com. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
30. "NFL Player stats: Kenny Moore (career)". NFL.com. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
31. Sessler, Marc (December 31, 2017). "Indianapolis Colts fire Chuck Pagano after 4–12 year". NFL.com. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
32. "The neglectful fan's guide to the 2018 Indianapolis Colts". fox59.com. September 5, 2018. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
33. Hickey, Kevin (September 4, 2018). "Colts announce unofficial depth chart for Week 1". Colts Wire. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
34. "Colts' Kenny Moore: Still in concussion protocol". CBSSports.com. October 4, 2018. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
35. "Pro Football Focus: Kenny Moore II (2018)". Pro Football Focus . Retrieved January 3, 2019.
36. Breech, John (June 13, 2019). "Colts reportedly turn former undrafted free agent into NFL's highest-paid slot corner". CBS Sports . Retrieved June 13, 2019.
37. "Vinatieri misses late, Steelers edge Colts 26–24". www.espn.com. Associated Press. November 3, 2019. Retrieved November 3, 2019.
38. "Dolphins cash in on Colts turnovers, earn 2nd straight win". www.espn.com. Associated Press. November 10, 2019. Retrieved November 10, 2019.
39. "Colts overpower Jaguars with strong ground game in 33–13 win". www.espn.com. Associated Press. November 17, 2019. Retrieved November 17, 2019.
40. Gonzales, Maximo (November 22, 2019). "Kenny Moore II Intercepts Deshaun Watson". ClutchPoints. Retrieved November 6, 2020.
41. "Pro Football Focus: Kenny Moore II (2019)". Pro Football Focus . Retrieved January 3, 2019.
42. "Minnesota Vikings at Indianapolis Colts – September 20th, 2020". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved September 22, 2020.
43. "New York Jets at Indianapolis Colts – September 27th, 2020". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved September 28, 2020.
44. "Indianapolis Colts at Detroit Lions – November 1st, 2020". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved November 6, 2020.
45. "Indianapolis Colts at Las Vegas Raiders – December 13th, 2020". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
46. Gordon, Grant (December 16, 2020). "Ravens QB Lamar Jackson, Rams RB Cam Akers lead Players of the Week". NFL.com. Retrieved December 16, 2020.
47. "Seven Colts Players Named To 2022 Pro Bowl". www.colts.com. Retrieved January 20, 2022.
48. "Colts Nominate CB Kenny Moore II For 2021 Walter Payton Man Of The Year Award". www.colts.com. Retrieved January 20, 2022.
49. "Kenny Moore II's Big Surprise: Walter Payton Man of the Year". www.colts.com. Retrieved January 20, 2022.
50. "Colts Place CB Kenny Moore On Injured Reserve, Sign DE Rashod Berry From Jacksonville Jaguars' Practice Squad". Colts.com. January 4, 2023.
51. Werner, Barry. "Bryce Young throws 2 pick-sixes to Colts Kenny Moore II". USA TODAY. Retrieved November 6, 2023.
52. Gordon, Grant (November 8, 2023). "Texans QB C.J. Stroud, Vikings QB Joshua Dobbs highlight Players of the Week". NFL.com.
53. "Kenny Moore II Stats". ESPN . Retrieved February 22, 2020.

External links

• Indianapolis Colts bio
• Valdosta State Blazers bio