Dante Moore turned down $55 million from the NFL to stay at Oregon, then shut off his phone and went golfing
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- Dante Moore turned down a projected $55 million NFL contract — and a potential No. 2 overall pick slot behind Indiana's Fernando Mendoza — to return to Oregon for 2026, celebrating by turning his phone off and going golfing
- Oregon coach Dan Lanning burst through the door, jumped on a desk and screamed when Moore announced his return on ESPN's SportsCenter; Moore's agent and his father were the only ones who knew in advance
- Moore added 17 pounds of muscle (203 to 220) this offseason under head strength coach Wilson Love and dietitian Jessie Dart, and worked with new offensive coordinator Drew Mehringer to rework plays he didn't like
- Moore publicly revealed he battled depression at 18 amid his mother's breast cancer diagnosis and wrote to Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek in March advocating for expanded virtual mental health services; 25 teammates now participate in player-led Wednesday meetings
- Oregon enters 2026 ranked No. 3 in CBS Sports' spring top 25 with 14 returning starters and 66% of last season's production back, after a 34-point CFP semifinal loss to eventual champion Indiana where Moore threw a pick-six on the first play and fumbled twice in the first half
- Dylan Raiola followed Moore's blueprint by leaving a Big Ten starting job at Nebraska to back up at Oregon and wait for a 2027 starting shot — a path Moore calls 'another trend' and Lanning says 'is already a trend'
Why it matters: Oregon gains a Heisman-contending QB (FanDuel lists Moore at sixth-best odds) for a national title window with 14 returning starters, while any team eyeing the No. 1 pick in 2027 must now plan around a player who chose to stay. Raiola's transfer validates a new template — top QB prospects sit one year behind an established starter, bank NIL money, then re-enter the draft — which Lanning already characterizes as 'a trend.'
