INDIANAPOLIS — Kenny Moore II built a deep, heartfelt relationship with the city of Indianapolis over the course of nine seasons.
The professional decision he had to make for himself this spring was not easy.
Ultimately, Moore realized he might fit better elsewhere and asked for the Colts to find him a new home through a trade. When that wasn’t possible, Moore asked for his release earlier this week, and Indianapolis granted the request.
Moore issued a heartfelt goodbye to the city of Indianapolis on his social media accounts Saturday night.
“The moment I realized I wouldn’t be putting on the horseshoe again, it was a lot to comprehend, something I had to mentally fight myself about before I knew it was time to talk about it,” Moore said. “Initially, I felt like it was too soon, but God makes no mistakes. Everything that transpired over the last year was for a reason and I’m at peace to call Indianapolis home for the last 9 years.”
A waiver claim who transformed himself into one of the NFL’s best slot cornerbacks after he arrived in Indianapolis, Moore became a fixture and leader in the locker room, fiercely proud of his teammates while simultaneously willing to set the standard publicly if needed.
“To my teammates.. man, I love y’all more than you understand,” Moore wrote. “The camaraderie of the game is my favorite part, hands down. Outside of getting a W together, my favorite memories are the ones where we couldn’t stop laughing. The preseason celebration, locker room dancing, the plane ride jokes, the random conversations that made no sense, that’s the stuff I’ll miss most. You pulled me up when I was at my lowest, you celebrated with me through the highs. Thank you for the standard and the example. It’s love always.”
Moore thanked the Irsays, the Lucas family and the Colts organization.
He saved his final thank you for the community itself, where he became a Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee through his Love One Foundation, a foundation built on Moore’s knack for building deep, abiding bonds with the people he helped, bonds so tight that he taught part-time at Cardinal Ritter High School on his off days during the season.
“The support was real,” Moore wrote. “The support was felt. You appreciated the player I was but you respected me as a person first, you saw my heart through the community. I can’t say thank you enough for embracing not just me but my family as well.”
Then he made a promise.
Moore will likely play for another NFL franchise next season.
But he promised to come back.
“See you later, I will not say goodbye,” Moore wrote “I-N-D-Y is H-O-M-E.”
Joel A. Erickson and Nathan Brown cover the Colts all season. Get more coverage on IndyStarTV and with the Colts Insider newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Kenny Moore II with heartfelt goodbye to Indianapolis after release from Colts
Reporting by Joel A. Erickson, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
