Minnesota Vikings Randy Moss after game vs Dallas Cowboys on September 12, 2004 in Minneapolis, MN ; Randy Moss and his daughter Sylee Moss at a Daddy Daughter Dance in February 2017.Photo:John Biever/Sports Illustrated via Getty ; Randy Moss/ Instagram
John Biever/Sports Illustrated via Getty ; Randy Moss/ Instagram
Hall of Fame football playerRandy Mossfirst became a father three decades ago.
In 2012, Moss retired after playing 14 seasons in the NFL and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame six years later. Both his sons followed in his football footsteps, while Sydney and Senali are elite athletes in a different sport: basketball.
Moss has said that supporting his children was also what motivated him to retire in 2012.
“I love the game so much, man, but I had to leave it. My kids — I had to get my kids,” Moss said during hisHall of Fame speechin 2018, adding, “I now realize that you [kids] had to sacrifice too because Uncle and Daddy was not there all the time and I’m sorry for that. But I’m here now.”
In December 2024, on his showNFL Countdown, Moss shared that he wasgoing through some difficulties with his healthand noted his family’s support in the process.
“Throughout the week of the holidays, your boy has been battling something internal,” the ESPN analyst revealed. “I got a great team of doctors and I got a great family around me."
While Moss did not reveal the details of his health difficulties, sports reporter Larry Fitzgerald Sr. claimed Moss had liver cancer in a since-deleted post on X — prompting Moss' son Thaddeus to come to his father’s defense on the platform. “This is disgusting. You have no right to try to make private matters public for the sake of engagement,” Thaddeus wrote. “I do not believe my father talks to you, so check your f—ing sources.”
Here’s everything to know aboutRandy Moss' children: Sydney, Thaddeus, Montigo, Senali, Sylee, Lyric, Lordes-Randi and Lexi.
Sydney Nikale Moss, 31
Randy Moss and his daughter Sydney Moss fishing together.Randy Moss/ Instagram
Randy Moss/ Instagram
“Through all of the ups and downs and goods and bads, Sydney is literally the ONLY one that has NEVER left me and continues to LOVE me unconditionally,” Offutt wrote onFacebookin honor of Sydney’s 25th birthday in 2019.
During Moss’ NFL career, Sydney grew up primarily with Offutt and her maternal grandparents in St. Albans, W. Va. She attended Boone County High School in Kentucky, where she earned five varsity letters and numerous awards, including the 2012 Associated Press Kentucky Player of the Year, and was named 2012 Kentucky “Miss Basketball.”
Sydney played her freshman year of college basketball at the University of Florida but later transferred to Thomas More College. At the Kentucky school, she won two NCAA national championships and three Division III national player of the year awards and earned her bachelor’s in communication and a master’s in ethical leadership.
Thomas More retired her jersey in 2019, and she is considered one of the most decorated players in Division III history. College basketball is still a major part of Sydney’s life — she worked as an assistant coach at St. Thomas University in Florida, the University of Charleston, Thomas More and Wilmington College in Ohio before becoming the latter’s head coach in 2023. In her spare time, she helped launch Wilmington’s bass fishing club and plays pickleball.
Sydney is also a supportive big sister, regularly posting about her siblings' accomplishments. In recent years, Moss and Sydney have both posted about their father-daughter fishing trips. Moss sharedphotosfrom a day out on his boat in 2019, and Sydney posted a photo of fish they caught in 2024.
“Quality time with the 2nd best fisherman in the family! 😘 @RandyMoss 🤎,” she wrote onX(formerly Twitter).
Thaddeus Mekhi Moss, 26
Randy Moss and son Thaddeus Moss pose next to Moss' bust during the 2018 Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony on August 4, 2018, at the Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, OH.Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty
Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty
Moss and Offutt’s second child and first son, Thaddeus, was born on May 14, 1998.
“I’ve always had to prove myself my whole life,” he said during a 2020 video news conference, according toUSA Today. “Having the last name that I’ve had, I’ve had to prove everybody else wrong, or prove myself right.”
Moss had a giddy on-air moment on ESPN on Nov. 28, 2021, the day Thaddeus made his NFL debut with the Bengals. After Thaddeus received a shout-out during an NFL Countdown segment, the proud dad stood up from the desk and yelled, “Let’s go, son! Who dey, let’s get it!”
“This is what you do it for ❤️,” Thaddeus commented on hisrepostof the clip.
Ultimately, Thaddeus did not get on-field during his NFL tenure. In 2023, he played for the Birmingham Stallions and he signed with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League in 2024 but was released after training camp. Heretiredfrom pro football in May 2024.
Throughout his career, Thaddeus has appreciated his father’s advice.
Thaddeus joined his dad onstage when Moss was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2018. He helped unveil the retired NFL star’s bust and then was shown visibly teary-eyed during Moss’ acceptance speech, in which he shared that “God gave me a beautiful, smart, loving family that made me coming into work on Sunday easy.”
Alexis “Lexi” Brooke Adkins
Moss also has a daughter named Alexis “Lexi” with Tanya Adkins.
She grew up in Proctorville, Ohio, and graduated from Fairland High School in 2017. Lexi has always been athletic — growing up, she participated in gymnastics, dance, volleyball, softball and track.
She told theHerald-Dispatchin 2018 that despite having a famous father, she hoped to carve her own path.
“A lot of people say I’m only where I am today because of my dad. But that isn’t the case at all,” Lexi said. “I worked for everything that I have today, in academics and athletics. He actually didn’t want me to go to Marshall for his own personal reasons, but I am my own person with my own talents and dreams. I don’t want to live in his shadow.”
Lexi met her oldest half-sibling, Sydney, for the first time in 2018. “After not knowing about her for almost 20 years. I finally got to meet my very talented, extremely smart and gorgeous half sister!” Sydney wrote onFacebook. “Lord knows how much I love my siblings and gaining another one is nothing but a blessing!”
Montigo Navari Moss, 22
Randy Moss with his son Montigo Navari Moss attend the 2020 NCAA Football Championship game.Randy Moss/ Instagram
Moss and Offutt welcomed their son Montigo “Tigo” on June 28, 2002.
He started at South Mecklenburg High School before transferring to Fork Union Military Academy, a college preparatory boarding school in Virginia, where he played football and was named First Team All-State VISAA, First Team All-Prep League and First Team All-Central Virginia.
“He’s a great kid,” Fort Union coach Mark Shuman told thePortland Press Heraldin 2020. “He’s the son of probably the best wide receiver to ever play, but you wouldn’t know that. He is the most humble and quiet kid.”
Montigo was a wide receiver for the University of Maine, where he wore No. 81, which was Moss’ number when he played for the Patriots. During his senior year season, Montigo made a trick play in an October 2024 game against the University of Albany, and a clip of it was shown on ESPN’sSunday NFL Countdown, where Moss works as an NFL analyst.
“Just say we’re twinning!” he proudly said after Montigo’s playwas comparedto a similar move he made as a wide receiver in 2002.
Montigo was also on his team’s leadership council and became an advocate for mental health support. Hetold Matt Morrowin 2019 that he considers his father and brother to be his football role models and added to thePortland Press Heraldthat while his last name “definitely adds pressure” and the comparisons could be “overwhelming,” the challenge was “also kind of fun.”
“You get all the hecklers. But I use it as fuel, to keep me motivated and to the grind,” he told the paper, adding, “I would love to follow in [my father’s] footsteps. But I’m going to try to make my own name, too.”
Moss has helped Montigo over the years, attending games and practicing with him — back in 2016, he shared avideoof himself and Montigo getting ready for a 5:30 a.m. off-season workout.
Senali Ayanna Moss, 20
Randy Moss' daughter Senali Moss.Randy Moss/ Instagram
Moss and Offutt welcomed their daughter Senali on March 24, 2004. She was raised in Charlotte, where she was a gymnast before choosing to pursue basketball. Moss was the coach of her AAU team.
A guard for South Mecklenburg High School, where she was a four-year letter winner and All-District selection, Senali started her collegiate career in 2022 as a standout star at Cape Fear Community College in Wilmington, N.C.
Sylee Milan Moss, 16
Randy Moss and his daughter Sylee Moss take a selfie at a Daddy Daughter Dance in February 2018.Randy Moss/ Instagram
Moss and Offutt welcomed their daughter Sylee on Oct. 29, 2008.
Sylee lives a private life, though her mother has posted photos of her five kids on her Facebook page. Moss has also sharedsweet photosand videos onInstagramfrom father-daughter dances he attended with Sylee in 2017 and 2018, as well as avideoof Sylee heading off to school in 2016.
Moss — who often talks about growing up in a smaller family, which included his single mom, sister, and late brother — has stated how important his family and kids are to him.
“I think that when you look at the end of the day of the definition of family, I think it’s just more of something that I’ve always wanted … As we age and people get older, I think it’s just more of us just being able to love your family for who they are,” Moss toldRussell WilsononESPN’sDangerTalkpodcast in 2020.
Lyric Griffith-Moss
Randy Moss smiles with his family.Randy Moss/ Instagram
Moss also has a daughter named Lyric, who like her sister Senali, graduated from South Mecklenburg High School.
Now she is studying criminal justice at North Carolina A&T State University, according to herLinkedInprofile, and is a member of the sorority Alpha Phi Sigma.
“I’m sitting up here chilling with my daughter. She always sits there wondering why, ‘Dad, you don’t put me on your Instagram!’ ” Moss is heard saying as he pans the camera to Lyric. “Well, here she is ladies and gentlemen, Miss Lyric!”
Lyric gives back to her community, including volunteering with Bloomerang and the Salvation Army.
Lordes-Randi Moss
Randy Moss' daughter, Randi Moss and her mother.Randy Moss/ Instagram
Moss and his wife Lydia share a daughter named Lordes-Randi.
She has made appearances in many of her dad’s social media videos over the years. In a cuteInstagram postfrom 2021, Moss joked that his fans “want to see me,” to which Lordes-Randi replied, “Nope, they like me ‘cause I’m cute!”
Moss has also shared photos from a 2017 family trip toWalt Disney Worldin Florida, during which Lordes-Randi went onher first ridewhile rocking a knit Minnie Mouse hat. She also dressed up as Peppa Pig for hersecond Halloweenin 2016.
“Women (moms) are the special 1s but i wanna send a HUGE shoutout to the dad’s or step dad’s that put that work in!!!#fff#blessed,” Moss captioned anInstagram videoof himself and Lordes-Randi in 2016.
source: people.com
