Atlanta Falcons WR Carted Off with Injury in Joint Practice vs. Miami Dolphins
![Atlanta Falcons receiver Rondale Moore suffered a non-contact injury during Wednesday's practice with the Miami Dolphins. Atlanta Falcons receiver Rondale Moore suffered a non-contact injury during Wednesday's practice with the Miami Dolphins.](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_3936,h_2214,x_0,y_0/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/falcon_report/01j4pwr7p00wy41fqh84.jpg)
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla -- The Atlanta Falcons finished the first two weeks of training camp healthy. On Wednesday, their first big injury struck.
Newly acquired wide receiver Rondale Moore was carted off the field with a non-contact injury during Wednesday's joint practice with the Miami Dolphins at Baptist Health Training Complex.
Moore is currently being evaluated for a right lower body injury, according to the Falcons.
The injury occurred on the backside of the play, as Moore went down in the back left corner of the endzone. On this rep, quarterback Michael Penix Jr. threw a pass to receiver Josh Ali in the right corner of the endzone.
Moore went down shortly after 11:50 a.m. Wednesday. He was stretchered off the field just before noon. A team-wide prayer circle followed. A few Falcons put the finishing touches on their drill work, including rookie receiver Casey Washington, who caught a fade in the same corner where Moore suffered his injury.
Others took different approaches. The defensive backs held their own huddle. Receiver Ray-Ray McCloud III took a catcher's crouch near the middle of the endzone. The two teams canceled the final 30 minutes of practice, which were set to entail two-minute drills.
After the session, both Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins, who was on the sideline, and defensive tackle Grady Jarrett, who was with the defense on the other side of the field, said they don't know what happened on the play.
"Hopefully, everything will work out but just waiting on more information like everybody else," Jarrett said. "It’s always tough when you see a player go down. It’s unexpected and heartbreaking, not much of a heartbreak like it, but first and foremost you always worry about the person’s well-being.
"That’s what we’re all worried about right now, not the practice schedule."
Cousins also weighed in.
"Certainly, our thoughts and prayers are with Rondale," Cousins said. "Hopefully, it’s not too serious."
Moore was acquired in the offseason in a trade that sent 2023's starting quarterback Desmond Ridder to the Arizona Cardinals.
He has been battling McCloud for the slot-receiver position in training camp. He was listed as a backup to starting wide receiver Darnell Mooney on the first unofficial depth chart released by the Falcons on Tuesday.
The Falcons made the move for Moore with the hope getting more speed on the field to go with the size and power of Drake London and Kyle Pitts. He had 40 catches for 352 yards and a touchdown last season with the Cardinals.
Even if Moore lost battle to McCloud for the slot-receiver spot, the Falcons would likely find ways to get him touches. Moore had 28 rushing attempts for 178 yards last year.