Herman Moore

Lore & Background

Moore graduated from George Washington High School in Danville, Virginia, in 1987. He was a three-sport athlete, excelling in basketball, football, and track and field. He attended and graduated from the University of Virginia, where he was a two-sport athlete. He ranks third all-time in career receptions, behind Olamide Zaccheaus and Billy McMullen, and held the school record in the high jump for 30 years until it was broken in 2020. Moore's college jersey number was 87. He ranks second in Cavaliers history in career receiving yards with 2,504 and ranks first in receiving yards in a season with 1,190 yards (on 54 catches) set in 1990. The year before he had 848 yards on just 36 catches. He also scored 10 touchdowns in 1989 and followed that up with 13 in 1990. On January 14, 2026, Moore was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

In Their Own Story

The roar of the crowd at the Silverdome faded into a hush as the quarterback dropped back, scanning the secondary. Down by four with seconds ticking away, he locked eyes downfield where Herman Moore was already streaking toward the end zone. The ball spiraled perfectly through the crisp Detroit air, meeting Moore's outstretched hands in mid-air. As his cleats hit the turf behind the goal line, the stadium erupted, a testament to the magic one man could bring to the gridiron.

Reader's Guide

Moore was the Detroit Lions' first-round draft pick in 1991. He started his career in 1991 with limited time, catching eleven passes for 135 yards; he had apparently neglected to tell the Lions that he had worn contact lenses while in college to see, for which he had decided to not wear in the pros. An eye check helped reveal the problem, which was soon fixed. He became a key part of the team's run to the playoffs, as the Lions won the NFC Central title for the first time since 1983. In the divisional-round game against the Dallas Cowboys, Moore caught six passes for 87 yards with a touchdown as the Lions prevailed 38–6. In the NFC Championship Game against Washington, he caught four passes for 69 yards in the 41–10 loss. He started the first week of the subsequent season and caught eight passes for 82 yards before being put on injured reserve for the next four weeks. In his return against the Minnesota Vikings, he caught his first regular season touchdown pass from Erik Kramer in a 31–14 loss. He caught 51 passes for 966 yards with four touchdowns in twelve games. The next year, he caught 61 passes in 15 games with 935 yards and six touchdowns as the Lions won the NFC Central once again. In the Wild Card game, he caught one pass for 20 yards in the loss. In 1994, he was named to his first Pro Bowl, catching 72 passes for 1,173 yards for eleven touchdowns. In 1995, he set a new league record for receptions in a season with 123 while setting a club record in receiving yards with 1,686, scoring 14 touchdowns. In the October 29 game, he caught three touchdown passes against the Green Bay Packers. On November 23 (Thanksgiving Day) against the Minnesota Vikings, Moore (127 yards) and fellow receivers Brett Perriman (153) and Johnnie Morton (102) all eclipsed the 100-yard receiving mark, running back Barry Sanders rushed for 138 yards, and quarterback Scott Mitchell passed for 410 yards in a 44-38 Lions' victory. His finest single-game performance came on December 4, 1995, against the Chicago Bears when he had a club record 14 catches for 183 yards. He was named to the Pro Bowl for the second straight year while the Lions made it to the playoffs for the fourth time in five seasons. Moore and teammate Brett Perriman (108 catches) became the first teammates in NFL history with more than 100 receptions in the same season. In 1996, he had 106 catches for 1,296 yards w

Did You Know?

• Moore held the University of Virginia school record in the high jump for 30 years until it was broken in 2020.
• Moore and teammate Brett Perriman became the first teammates in NFL history with more than 100 receptions in the same season (1995).
• Moore was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame on January 14, 2026.