The memorial tribute to Rondale Moore on ESPN descended into utter chaos and outrage when the network committed a catastrophic blunder that turned a solemn moment into a national embarrassment. Intended as a heartfelt remembrance for the 25-year-old Minnesota Vikings wide receiver whose tragic death had just shocked the NFL world, the segment instead became a lightning rod for fury, exposing shocking carelessness at the highest levels of sports broadcasting.
During the late-night edition of SportsCenter with Scott Van Pelt on Saturday, February 22, 2026, the anchor delivered poignant words about Moore’s passing—found in his garage from what authorities confirmed as a self-inflicted gunshot wound. As Van Pelt spoke, the on-screen graphic flashed behind him: Moore’s name, his age, and a photo. But the face staring back at viewers belonged to Myles Price, another Vikings wide receiver and return specialist. The mismatch was immediate and glaring. A young man who had electrified crowds with his speed and elusiveness was suddenly erased, replaced by a teammate in the very moment meant to honor his memory.
The error detonated across social media within minutes. Fans, former players, and commentators unleashed a torrent of condemnation. One viral post branded it an “absolutely disgraceful editorial failure from a billion-dollar network,” accusing ESPN of failing to give a deceased athlete even basic respect. Another mocked the self-proclaimed “Worldwide Leader in Sports” with bitter sarcasm, while others lamented the network’s declining standards, wondering aloud how such a fundamental mistake could slip through in the digital age. The backlash painted ESPN as indifferent to the gravity of loss, turning grief into fuel for widespread scorn.
Critics hammered the graphics department hardest, pointing out that no one double-checked the image before it aired at 1:07 a.m. ET. The segment ran once before the team caught the blunder—likely after viewer complaints flooded in—and swiftly acted. Van Pelt re-taped the tribute for subsequent re-airs, swapping Price’s photo for Moore’s correct one. By Sunday night, anchor David Lloyd addressed the fiasco on-air, delivering a formal apology: “Last night on ‘SportsCenter,’ we incorrectly showed images of NFL player Myles Price as part of a tribute to Rondale Moore, who died on Saturday.” The quick correction did little to quell the storm.
The mistake’s origins added another layer of frustration. Major editorial image services had mislabeled photos, leading to widespread confusion—not just at ESPN but across outlets, including some online publications that ran the wrong image in articles about Moore’s death. Yet ESPN, with its vast resources and reputation, bore the brunt of the backlash. In a hyper-connected era where fans scrutinize every frame, the network’s failure felt amplified, almost unforgivable during such a sensitive broadcast.
TRENDING: ESPN is under heavy criticism for using multiple photos of #Vikings WR Myles Price during their tribute segment for Rondale Moore.
SportsCenter Scott Van Pelt spent a segment talking about Moore while a photo of Price was up behind him.
This is sad and disrespectful. pic.twitter.com/PaM6HCP4Qk
— MLFootball (@MLFootball) February 22, 2026
The incident ignited fierce debate within the sports community. Supporters of ESPN argued it was a regrettable human error, compounded by faulty stock photos and the rush of overnight production. They emphasized the re-tape and apology as evidence of accountability. Detractors, however, saw deeper negligence—a symptom of complacency in a billion-dollar empire that prioritizes speed over precision. They argued that tributes to the deceased demand zero tolerance for mistakes, especially when the subject is a young athlete cut down in his prime. The fact that Moore had been a beloved figure—humble, resilient, and still fighting back from injuries—only intensified the sense of disrespect.
Moore’s death already carried profound weight. At just 25, he had flashed brilliance in Arizona before injuries derailed him, signing with Minnesota in hopes of revival only to sit out the season. His final Instagram posts showed rehab progress, a testament to his determination. The tribute was supposed to celebrate that spirit, to offer comfort amid unimaginable sorrow. Instead, the wrong photo turned remembrance into ridicule, forcing the conversation to shift from mourning to media malpractice.
The fallout lingers. Social media threads dissect the blunder endlessly, memes circulate the mismatched image, and calls for better protocols echo louder. ESPN’s apology stands on record, but trust erodes slowly in moments like these. For a network that prides itself on capturing the human side of sports, this error stripped away dignity at the worst possible time. Rondale Moore deserved a flawless farewell; what he received was a painful reminder that even in grief, carelessness can wound anew.
