Kenny Moore II often refers to his time at Valdosta State as an important chapter. It's one the standout defensive back for the Indianapolis Colts keeps coming back to, a turning point in many ways.
Like when he was named to the 2022 NFL Pro Bowl.
"I thought about Valdosta State, to be honest, because there were many days where I was so doubtful. I think that was just the process of being a Division II athlete. But you just have to believe and stay positive, and it'll all work out at some point," said Moore, who played at Valdosta State from 2013 to 2016. "Having people around me who believed in me, that's one of the things I took away from being at Valdosta State.
"Being a Pro Bowler is like every day that I put in has been worth it. Everything was worth it."
Moore said the lessons from his playing days at Valdosta State, both good and bad, have inspired him to finish what he started. Moore finished his Blazer football career without graduating, but he is currently in the process of completing his degree through online courses at Valdosta State. He expects to graduate in May 2023 with a bachelor's degree in communication arts.
"My freshman year taught me time management, be proactive and use my classmates for help and use a tutor for help, and just putting that pride aside to understand that I'm able to do things on my own but to ask for help whenever I needed," he said. "It was very humbling, Valdosta State, because as a freshman you always think you can handle things on your own, whether it's on the field or off the field, but you basically learn those things about yourself, to be social, to ask for help, to get where you want to be."
This season, Moore was also named the Colts' nominee for the 2021 Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, recognizing his significant positive impact on his community.
Again, the honor made him think of Valdosta State, located in his hometown in Georgia. Moore said his passion for community service started as part of his family's involvement with the church they attended. It grew from there.
At Valdosta State, he got involved in its many community service efforts — a pillar of Division II. His last year there, he joined the school's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, which coordinates community service initiatives.
"The things we did kept community service on my mind going into the NFL," Moore said of his time with SAAC, a group he regularly communicates with still. "SAAC taught me that I can open up and meet different people from various sports, and we can all relate to one thing — and that's being a student-athlete and a DII athlete."
Moore played at Division II Valdosta State from 2013 to 2016, earning all-conference, all-region and All-America honors. (Photo courtesy of Valdosta State)
Moore went undrafted after finishing his college career but signed as a free agent with the New England Patriots. After a brief stint, he signed with the Colts in 2017 and has been in Indianapolis ever since. He's impacted the community in several ways, specifically in his work with the area's youth.
"The youth is the future … that's where it all starts," Moore said.
According to this colts.com feature, Moore has helped raise more than $25,000 for the Mighty Mason Fund, which supports pediatric palliative care. It's a cause near to his heart. Moore became close with the fund's inspiration, Mason Garvey, after the then-7-year-old was diagnosed with stage 4 embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma during the 2018 season. Tragically, Mason died in 2020, but Moore has maintained a close bond with the Garvey family.
"That relationship showed me that anybody can be family," Moore said. "Running out there each week, I can't put my jersey and helmet on without thinking about the Garvey family. It means so much to me to be part of their life."
Moore's community service contributions in Indianapolis and Valdosta are extensive.
He's worked with the Tyler Trent Foundation, which supports cancer research. He's a board member for the A Kid Again Foundation, which provides cost-free and recurring events for children battling life-threatening illnesses. He's also highly involved in the Colts' Kicking the Stigma mental health initiative and has publicly opened up about his mental health struggles on numerous platforms. The Kenny Moore II REACH Scholarship awards five students $2,500 each year. He helped cover the funeral costs of Madi Moore, an Indiana teenager who announced two of the Colts' 2019 draft picks and died of leukemia later that year. He's a regular on the Colts Community Tuesdays.
All of which made him an obvious choice to be the team's nominee for the Walter Payton Man of the Year. All of which take him back to his roots in Valdosta.
"It just means community," he said of the honor. "It means where I come from and what we all believe in together. So much love went into sculpting me to be who I am today. I have a big family, so there was a lot of lessons taught around the house about doing the right thing and keeping God first. The thing about where I come from, we all believe it takes so many people to make one person great.
"That award has my name on it, but that name has so much more meaning to it, and so many people have touched me and sculpted me and molded me to be who I am. It means community. It means Valdosta, Georgia."
