.jpg) Moore with theCarolina Panthers in 2021 | |||||||||||||
| No. 2 – Chicago Bears | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Wide receiver | ||||||||||||
| Roster status | Active | ||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||
| Born | (1997-04-14)April 14, 1997 (age 28) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. | ||||||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||||||||||||
| Weight | 213 lb (97 kg) | ||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||
| High school | Imhotep Institute Charter (PA) | ||||||||||||
| College | Maryland (2015–2017) | ||||||||||||
| NFL draft | 2018: 1st round, 24th overall pick | ||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||
| Awards and highlights | |||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||
| Career NFL statistics as of Week 10, 2025 | |||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||
Denniston Oliver "D. J."Moore Jr. (born April 14, 1997) is an American professionalfootballwide receiver for theChicago Bears of theNational Football League (NFL). He playedcollege football for theMaryland Terrapins, and was selected by theCarolina Panthers in the first round of the2018 NFL draft. Moore was traded to the Bears in March 2023.
Moore attendedImhotep Institute Charter High School inPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania, where he playedhigh school football.[1] He is of Jamaican descent through his father.[2] He committed to theUniversity of Maryland, College Park to playcollege football.[3]
Moore playedcollege football for theMaryland Terrapins from 2015 to 2017 under head coachesRandy Edsall,Mike Locksley, andD. J. Durkin.[4]
As a freshman, Moore started 10 of Maryland's 12 games, recording 25 receptions for 357 yards and three touchdowns.[5] As a sophomore, he started all 13 games and had 41 receptions for 637 yards and six touchdowns. As a junior, he started all 12 games and set a school record with 80 receptions for 1,033 yards and eight touchdowns.[6][7] After his junior season, Moore was named to the first-teamAll-Big Ten Conference, and was the Big Ten Receiver of the Year.[8]
Following his junior season, Moore made the decision to enter the2018 NFL draft.[9][10]
| Maryland Terrapins | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Games | Receiving | Rushing | |||||||||||
| GP | GS | Rec | Yds | Avg | TD | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | |||||
| 2015 | 12 | 10 | 25 | 357 | 14.3 | 3 | 1 | 9 | 9.0 | 0 | ||||
| 2016 | 13 | 13 | 41 | 637 | 15.5 | 6 | 11 | 55 | 5.0 | 0 | ||||
| 2017 | 12 | 12 | 80 | 1,033 | 12.9 | 8 | 5 | 61 | 12.2 | 1 | ||||
| Career | 37 | 35 | 146 | 2,027 | 13.9 | 17 | 17 | 125 | 7.4 | 1 | ||||
Moore was invited to the 2018NFL Combine, where he led receivers in the broad jump, and recorded the second best vertical jump. He also ran a 4.42 second 40-yard dash.[11]
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | 210 lb (95 kg) | 31+5⁄8 in (0.80 m) | 9+5⁄8 in (0.24 m) | 4.42 s | 1.54 s | 2.59 s | 4.07 s | 6.95 s | 39+1⁄2 in (1.00 m) | 11 ft 0 in (3.35 m) | 15 reps | |
| All values fromNFL Combine[12][13] | ||||||||||||
Moore was selected by theCarolina Panthers in the first round with the 24th overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.[14] Moore was the first wide receiver drafted.[15] On June 18, 2018, he signed a four-year deal worth $11.2 million featuring a $6.2 million signing bonus.[16]
Moore made his NFL debut in the Panthers' season opener against theDallas Cowboys. In the 16–8 victory, he had no targets but did have a three-yard rush to go along with a 15-yard punt return.[17] In the following game, a 31–24 loss to theAtlanta Falcons, he recorded a 51-yard touchdown reception for his first professional catch.[18] In a Week 11 loss to theDetroit Lions, Moore had a breakout game with seven receptions for 157 yards and a touchdown.[19] Overall, he finished his rookie season with 55 receptions for 788 yards and two touchdowns.[20] He was named to thePFWA All-Rookie Team, becoming the second Panthers receiver to claim this award, joiningRae Carruth in 1997.[21]
In Week 3 against theArizona Cardinals, Moore caught one pass for a 52-yard touchdown in the 38–20 win.[22] In Week 10 against theGreen Bay Packers, Moore caught nine passes for 120 yards in the 24–16 loss.[23] During Week 12 against theNew Orleans Saints, Moore finished with six catches for 126 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns as the Panthers lost 31–34.[24] Overall, in the 2019 season, Moore finished with 87 receptions for 1,175 receiving yards and four receiving touchdowns.[25]
In Week 2, Moore recorded eight receptions for 120 receiving yards in a 17–31 loss to theTampa Bay Buccaneers.[26] In Week 5 against the Falcons, Moore recorded four catches for 93 yards, including a 57-yard touchdown reception, during the 23–16 win.[27] In Week 7, he had four receptions for 93 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns in the 27–24 loss to the Saints.[28] In Week 11 against the Lions, Moore recorded seven catches for 127 yards during the 20–0 win.[29] He was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list by the Panthers on December 7, 2020,[30] and activated on December 16.[31] In Week 15 against the Packers, Moore recorded six catches for 131 yards during the 24–16 loss.[32] Moore finished the 2020 season with 66 receptions for 1,193 receiving yards and four receiving touchdowns.[33]
On April 30, 2021, the Panthers exercised the fifth-year option on Moore's contract.[34] The option guarantees a salary of $11.116 million for the 2022 season.[35] In Week 3, against theHouston Texans, Moore recorded eight receptions for 126 yards in the 24–9 victory.[36] In the following game against the Cowboys, he recorded eight receptions for 113 yards and two touchdowns in the 36–28 loss.[37] Moore finished the 2021 season with 93 receptions for 1,157 receiving yards and four receiving touchdowns.[38]
On March 18, 2022, Moore signed a three-year, $61.9 million contract extension with the Panthers through the 2025 season.[39] In Week 8, against the Falcons, Moore had six receptions for 152 yards and a touchdown in the 37–34 overtime defeat.[40] Moore's touchdown was a 62-yard catch that appeared to set up the Panthers to win the game with only 12 seconds remaining. However, Moore took off his helmet out of bounds and was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct, which moved the extra point back. The kick was missed and the Falcons later won the game.[41] Moore was off the field when he was penalized and the moment became a controversial topic on whether it should have been flagged.[42] Moore finished the 2022 season with 63 receptions for 888 receiving yards and a career-high seven receiving touchdowns, breaking his three-year streak of 1,000-yard receiving seasons.[43]
On March 10, 2023, the Panthers agreed to trade Moore and the ninth overall pick in the2023 NFL draft, as well as several other draft picks (including their2024 first-round pick, later used to draftCaleb Williams), to theChicago Bears for the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft, which the Panthers used to selectBryce Young. The trade was made official when the league calendar year began on March 15.[44][45] Moore left the Panthers fourth in franchise history with 5,201 receiving yards.[46]
On September 24, during Week 3 against theKansas City Chiefs, Moore recorded three receptions for 41 yards and a touchdown, his first of the year, during the 41–10 loss.[47]
On October 5, in Week 5 against theWashington Commanders, Moore recorded eight catches for 230 yards and three touchdowns in a Bears victory, with a final score of 40–20.[48] His three touchdowns were a single game career high. His 230 yards is also a career high and the second-most receiving yards for a Bear in a single regular-season game.[49]
In Week 12, Moore surpassed 1,000 receiving yards in a season for the fourth time in a road victory over theMinnesota Vikings.
Overall, Moore had 96 receptions for 1,364 yards and eight touchdowns, all career highs.[50]
On July 31, 2024, Moore and the Bears agreed to a four-year, $110 million contract extension. In addition, the deal made Moore the first receiver in NFL history to have the first 10 years of his career guaranteed.[51]
In Week 5 of the 2024 season, against his former team, the Carolina Panthers, Moore had five receptions for 105 yards and two touchdowns in the 36–10 win.[52] He finished the 2024 season with 98 receptions for 966 yards and six touchdowns.[53]
Moore caught his first touchdown of the 2025 season in Week 3 against the Cowboys.[54] In Week 9 versus theCincinnati Bengals, Moore threw a two-yard touchdown pass to quarterbackCaleb Williams on atrick play where he received alateral fromRome Odunze before passing to Williams. It was his third career pass and first completion after unsuccessful attempts in 2020 and 2024.[55] He also scored on a 16-yard run in which he was pushed out of bounds and seemingly fumbled the ball through the end zone; the Bengalschallenged the play in hopes that it would be atouchback, but the officials ruled he had actually crossed the goal line for the touchdown. The Bears won 47–42.[56]
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Bold | Career High |
| Year | Team | Games | Receiving | Rushing | Fumbles | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Fum | Lost | ||
| 2018 | CAR | 16 | 10 | 55 | 788 | 14.3 | 82 | 2 | 13 | 172 | 13.2 | 32 | 0 | 4 | 3 |
| 2019 | CAR | 15 | 15 | 87 | 1,175 | 13.5 | 52 | 4 | 6 | 40 | 6.7 | 13 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| 2020 | CAR | 15 | 14 | 66 | 1,193 | 18.1 | 74 | 4 | 2 | 22 | 11.0 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | CAR | 17 | 17 | 93 | 1,157 | 12.4 | 64 | 4 | 8 | 48 | 6.0 | 14 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2022 | CAR | 17 | 17 | 63 | 888 | 14.1 | 62 | 7 | 10 | 53 | 5.3 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | CHI | 17 | 17 | 96 | 1,364 | 14.2 | 58 | 8 | 4 | 21 | 5.3 | 16 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2024 | CHI | 17 | 17 | 98 | 966 | 9.9 | 44 | 6 | 14 | 75 | 5.4 | 14 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2025 | CHI | 9 | 9 | 30 | 403 | 13.4 | 42 | 1 | 12 | 54 | 4.5 | 17 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Career | 123 | 116 | 588 | 7,934 | 13.5 | 82 | 36 | 69 | 485 | 7.0 | 32 | 2 | 10 | 8 | |
