Herman Moore facts for kids

Herman Joseph Moore, born on October 20, 1969, is a former American professional football player. He was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons. Moore played college football for the Virginia Cavaliers. The Detroit Lions picked him in the first round of the 1991 NFL draft. He also played for the New York Giants.

Early Life and Sports Talents

Herman Moore grew up in Danville, Virginia. He finished George Washington High School in 1987. Moore was a great athlete in high school. He played three different sports: basketball, football, and track and field.

College Football Career

Moore went to the University of Virginia. He was a two-sport athlete there, playing football and competing in track and field. In football, he ranks third in career catches for the Cavaliers. He also held the school record for the high jump for 30 years. His college jersey number was 87.

Moore is second in Cavaliers history for career receiving yards with 2,504. He holds the record for most receiving yards in a single season. In 1990, he gained 1,190 yards on 54 catches. The year before, he had 848 yards on 36 catches. He scored 10 touchdowns in 1989 and 13 in 1990.

Professional Football Journey

The Detroit Lions chose Herman Moore as their first-round draft pick in 1991. He went on to break many of the Lions' receiving records.

Starting with the Detroit Lions

Moore's first season in 1991 was slow. He caught only 11 passes for 135 yards. It turned out he needed to wear contact lenses to see better. Once his vision was fixed, he became a key player. The Lions made it to the playoffs that year. They won the NFC Central title for the first time since 1983.

In a playoff game against the Dallas Cowboys, Moore caught six passes for 87 yards. He scored a touchdown, helping the Lions win 38–6. This was their first playoff win since 1957. In the next game, the NFC Championship, he caught four passes for 69 yards. However, the Lions lost 41–10.

Rising to Stardom

In his second season, Moore caught eight passes in the first game. He then missed four weeks due to an injury. When he returned, he caught his first regular season touchdown pass. He finished that year with 51 catches for 966 yards and four touchdowns. The next year, he had 61 catches for 935 yards and six touchdowns. The Lions won the NFC Central again.

In 1994, Moore played very well and was chosen for his first Pro Bowl. He played in all 16 games, catching 72 passes for 1,173 yards and 11 touchdowns. He played even better in 1995 and was named the team's offensive MVP.

Record-Breaking Seasons

In 1995, Moore set a new league record with 123 catches in one season. He also set a club record for receiving yards with 1,686. He scored 14 touchdowns that year. In one game against the Green Bay Packers, he caught three touchdown passes.

On Thanksgiving Day in 1995, Moore had a memorable game against the Minnesota Vikings. He gained 127 receiving yards. His teammates Brett Perriman (153 yards) and Johnnie Morton (102 yards) also had over 100 receiving yards. This was a huge win for the Lions.

Moore's best single game was on December 4, 1995, against the Chicago Bears. He had a club record of 14 catches for 183 yards. He was selected for the Pro Bowl for the second year in a row. The Lions made the playoffs for the fourth time in five seasons. Moore and his teammate Brett Perriman both had over 100 catches that year. They were the first teammates in NFL history to do so.

Moore continued his success in 1996 with 106 catches for 1,296 yards and nine touchdowns. In 1997, he led the league with 104 catches for 1,293 yards and eight touchdowns. He was named to the Pro Bowl for the fourth time. The Lions made the playoffs again. In a playoff game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Moore caught seven passes for 133 yards and a touchdown.

Later Career and Legacy

The next few years were not as strong for Moore. In 1998, he had 82 catches for 983 yards. This was the last season with Barry Sanders on the team. In 1999, Moore played only eight games due to injury. He caught 16 passes for 197 yards.

After playing 145 games with the Lions, Moore moved to the New York Giants in 2002. He played only one game with them before leaving the team.

In his 12 NFL seasons, Herman Moore had 670 catches for 9,174 yards. He scored 62 touchdowns. Moore holds NFL records for catches (61) and receiving yards (965) in games played on Thursdays. This is partly because the Lions often play on Thanksgiving Day.

His career records for catches, receiving yards, and touchdowns with the Detroit Lions were later broken by Calvin Johnson. In 2010, Herman Moore was honored. He was inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame and the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame.

Herman Moore's NFL Statistics