Oregon head coach Dan Lanning opened up about quarterback Dante Moore’s mental wellness advocacy, including his letter to Oregon Governor Tina Kotek, and how the Ducks support emotional well-being inside the locker room. Moore, 20 years old, opened up about his own struggles with depression in March and why access to care needs to change. He followed that with an emotional video on his Instagram addressing topics like suicide, health care and mental health.
Lanning was aligned with Moore’s decision to use his platform for mental health advocacy. “We have conversations all the time, not necessarily just about that. We talk about a lot of stuff. Dante’s his own man. We’re proud that he has a willingness to speak up with a platform that he has,” Lanning said. Moore’s message is strengthened by his own battle with depression, including feeling overwhelmed under the pressure of playing quarterback while navigating his mother’s breast cancer diagnosis at 18 years old. Moore’s mother was declared cancer-free in July 2024.
Program Culture and Mental Health Support
Lanning’s Oregon program is developing people both physically and emotionally. “I think all of our guys feel really comfortable as a family here. So, you’re able to express yourself and communicate, and it’s important for us. We’re going to keep at the forefront of where we’re at. But we’re here to play football. Football is tough. Life’s hard. Our guys recognize all those pieces, but if you don’t recognize it in your program, then you’re probably missing something,” Lanning said. This environment of trust and accountability appears to be reflected in strong player retention; Lanning has yet to lose a full-time starter to the transfer portal since taking over the program. Moore made major waves through college football when he decided to return to Eugene for another season instead of entering the 2026 NFL Draft where he was a projected top-5 pick.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://us.headtopics.com/news/dan-lanning-addresses-quarterback-dante-moore-s-mental-81734533