Kenny Moore II to receive prestigious community-based award at Circle City Classic

The Indiana Black Expo will present former Indianapolis Colts cornerback Kenny Moore II the Major Taylor Award at the Circle City Classic Coaches Luncheon on Friday.

The award is named after the first Black world champion in cycling and is given to athletes who dominate in sports and make an impact in their respective communities. Moore partnered with Cardinal Ritter in 2024 through his Love One Foundation to launch the Rise and Shine Initiative — a program centered on preparing students for life beyond the classroom. He teaches once a week.

“Being at the table with those stars, I think what matters, especially in this space, is more so what they represent for people,” Moore told IndyStar. “When you say what Muhammad Ali represented for people, he represented generations. If you look through his athletic career, he meant something to civil rights and the up-and-coming of Black athletes. Being at the table with people who represent much more than the sport that they are representing, that’s powerful.”

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Moore went undrafted in the 2017 draft and signed with the Colts. He spent nine seasons in Indianapolis before he requested a release in May.

“For me to be able to accept this award means a lot because this is a city that I’ve been devoted to, and I’ve committed so much time and effort to for a decade now,” Moore said. “And this award doesn’t have anything to do with who I was as a footballer, but it was more so people recognizing, ‘We see you, we appreciate you, and keep going,’ … that goes a long way. And I think this is just another reminder to keep doing what I’m doing.”

All games below will be played at Lucas Oil Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026.

Circle City Classic Girls Flag Football Matchup

Crispus Attucks vs. Arsenal Tech; 10 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.

Lawrence North vs. Ben Davis High; 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.

Circle City Classic High School Football Showcase Game

Warren Central vs. Pike; Pre-game ceremonies start at 1:45 p.m. Kick-off at 2 p.m.

Lawrence North vs. Ben Davis; Pre-game ceremonies start at 6:45 p.m. Kick-off at 7 p.m.

Circle City Classic Talent Day; Lucas Oil Stadium, East Lounge; 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Circle City Classic Pep Rally; 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

DJ G INDY FUNKFEST; Clowes Hall; 7 p.m.

Circle City Classic Parade; Downtown Indianapolis; 10 a.m.

Education Day & College Fair; Lucas Oil Stadium, East Lounge; 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Black Business Training Institute (BBTI) Networking Forum; Caesar Sports Book Lounge; 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Circle City Classic Tailgate and Fan Festival; Lucas Oil Stadium, South Street; Noon to 10 p.m.

Visit Circlecityclassic.com to purchase tickets. General admission starts at $27.75. One ticket will get you into all of Saturday’s events at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Joshua Heron is an enterprise and Fever reporter. Follow him on Twitter at @HeronReports. Joel A. Erickson and Nathan Brown cover the Colts all season. Get more coverage on IndyStarTV and with the Colts Insider newsletter.