Oregon Receiver Evan Stewart Shares Emotional Injury Moment With Dante Moore

A now-healthy Oregon Ducks receiver Evan Stewart shared an emotional moment he shared with quarterback Dante Moore when Stewart first learned of his season-ending injury.

Stewart suffered a torn patellar tendon in his right knee during practice in June of 2025. Stewart revealed that his bond with Moore deepened in a major way after Stewart’s injury, when Moore was overcome with emotion and blamed himself for the play.

oregon ducks evan stewart Drew Mehringer dakorien moore dan lanning college football playoff injury dante moore | oregon ducks on si jake bunn

Stewart made it clear that moment stuck with him, not only because it showed how much Moore cared, but because it confirmed the kind of leader and teammate Oregon has in its quarterback.

Evan Stewart Shares Emotional Injury Story About Dante Moore

As former 5-star athletes, Stewart's relationship started much before they both became Ducks in 2024.

"I've known (Dante) for a minute. I knew him in high school when he was a quarterback in Detroit, just off him being a five-star this and me being a five-star receiver."

Dec 20, 2025; Eugene, OR, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore (5) looks on before the game against the James Madison Dukes at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

Stewart’s comments also offered a revealing look at how long he believed in Moore. Even before Moore became Oregon’s starter, Stewart said the former five-star was constantly asking questions, studying former Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel, and making throws in practice that caught the attention of the team.

"It really dates back to when we both got here. I was taking a lot of reps with (Dante) because we were first coming in, learning a new install. Then I was playing with (Dillon Gabriel) a lot and (Dante) would always be on the side, in my ear, like, 'Hey, like, what do you think about this? What do you think about that?' Like, just, just asking me questions.

"I was like, shoot, he seems pretty like dialed in. He's not even playing yet. He would go to practice, make crazy throws. We would see it on film and we would always give him his kudos."

oregon ducks evan stewart name image likeness nil deal jeremiah smith ohio state buckeyes cam coleman texas longhorns | Oregon Ducks on SI Jake Bunn

Then, before Moore and Stewart had their chance to shine together in 2025, Stewart went down during a one-on-one drill. At first, he wasn't sure the severity of the injury - and even tried to fix it and stand back up - but when he couldn't stand and he got the news from the medical staff, Stewart told Moore.

"They told (Moore) the (injury) news and after I looked over and seen him crying, because basically he was kind of like kind of thinking it was his fault. Like he was saying he should have put the ball further. It could have been a better ball, dah, dah, dah. But I was telling him like, what was going to happen was going to happen. It's not your fault. I a hundred percent want you to be my quarterback. Like the fact that you shed a tear, that really means a lot to me."

Stewart made it clear the tears weren’t weakness, they were proof of investment. In a locker room, players notice who truly cares.

"After that, we just continued to talk. I continued to text him. Like things that I see in practice that receivers are doing, he's throwing. Throughout the season, I tried to be that guy on the sideline for him."

Sep 6, 2025; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore (5) walks off the field after a game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

Stewart detailed that he wanted to be a calming presence for Moore on the sideline during intense game moments so that the quarterback knew the receivers were behind him.

By the end of the 2025 season, Stewart said he was hoping Moore would return because he believed the Ducks could achieve something special with him leading the offense. This comment is huge. Stewart is basically saying part of why he wanted to run it back was because he believed Oregon could win big with Moore.

"We get to the last game of the season and we come up short and now, in my eyes, I'm waiting for him to make a decision because I think we could do it if you come back."

"This year we've been hanging out a lot. He calls me, I'll call him. We eat breakfast together, shoot on Sundays, we go to church, we got a pretty good relationship but it definitely built over time for sure."

Nov 16, 2024; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Oregon Ducks wide receiver Evan Stewart (7) greets fans following the game against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Evan Stewart's Final Season Of Eligibility

Stewart enters his final season of eligibility with a chance to rebound from that torn patellar tendon suffered last summer.

Stewart, along with sophomores Jeremiah McClellan and Dakorien Moore could be a dangerous trio next season. Add in transfer Hooks and the Ducks are flirting with one of the most exciting receiver rooms in college football. Dakorien Moore and McClellan combined for more than 1,000 receiving yards in 2025 and are looking to make the sophomore leap in 2026.

The 6-foot, 170-pound Stewart was a five-star prospect in a historically deep signing class at Texas A&M in 2022. Ranked as the top receiver in the transfer portal in 2024, Stewart committed to Oregon over USC, LSU and Florida State. He was the Ducks' third leading receiver behind Tez Johnson and Traeshon Holden, ending the year with 48 receptions for 613 yards and five touchdowns.

Fast forward to 2026 and Oregon's new offensive coordinator Drew Mehringer revealed that it's the hardest he's ever seen "Stewie" work.

The trust and connection between Moore and Stewart could be what elevates the offense in 2026. Stewart's belief in Moore as a great player and a human is clearly real, and a reason why Oregon’s ceiling feels higher with him at the center of it.

Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram for the latest news.