Dante Moore Advocates for Mental Health Awareness

Dante Moore, the quarterback from Oregon, is leveraging his status in football to raise awareness about mental health challenges. He recently wrote a letter to the Oregon governor advocating for enhanced mental health services in the state, while sharing his personal experiences.

In his letter, he encouraged his teammates to embrace leadership beyond the football field. “Leadership isn’t just what we do on game day. It’s about who we support every day,” Moore stated. He emphasized the responsibility that comes with being a quarterback, highlighting the importance of remaining calm and guiding his team.

Moore opened up about his journey, explaining how learning to manage his mental health improved his abilities as a leader, student, and teammate. “I know what it’s like to suffer in silence,” he reflected, noting that having support has helped him recover and grow stronger.

He also shared the emotional toll of starting college while his mother battled cancer. “Early in my college years, I felt overwhelmed with depression,” he recalled, citing the pressures of being a quarterback at a young age and the weight of watching his mother go through chemotherapy.

Fortunately, Moore’s mother, Jera Bolen Moore, is now cancer-free, a milestone reached in July 2024.

His March 3 letter to the governor specifically called for the protection and expansion of access to virtual mental health services, particularly in light of concerning statistics revealing that suicide is the second leading cause of death among young people in Oregon and that many cases of depression go untreated.

“These aren’t just numbers; they are alarming truths,” Moore wrote, emphasizing that they affect students, athletes, and families grappling with grief and trauma.

Completing his season with the Ducks, Moore achieved 296 passes for 3,565 yards and 30 touchdowns, driving the program to a College Football Playoff semifinal. He has chosen to return to Oregon State instead of entering the NFL Draft.