Leonard Pope
{{Short description|American football player (born 1983)}}
{{Use American English|date=September 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Leonard Pope
| image = Leonard Pope.JPG
| caption = Pope with the Chiefs in 2010
| number = 45, 82
| position = Tight end
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1983|9|10|mf=y}}
| birth_place = Americus, Georgia, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 8
| weight_lbs = 264
| high_school = Americus
| college = Georgia
| draftyear = 2006
| draftround = 3
| draftpick = 72
| pastteams = * Arizona Cardinals ({{NFL Year|2006}}−{{NFL Year|2008}})
- Kansas City Chiefs ({{NFL Year|2009}}−{{NFL Year|2011}})
- Pittsburgh Steelers ({{NFL Year|2012}})
- Chicago Bears ({{NFL Year |2013}})*
| highlights = * 2× First-team All-SEC (2004, 2005)
| status =
| statweek =
| statseason =
| statlabel1 = Receptions
| statvalue1 = 105
| statlabel2 = Receiving yards
| statvalue2 = 982
| statlabel3 = Receiving touchdowns
| statvalue3 = 11
| pfr = P/PopeLe00
}}
Leonard Pope (born September 10, 1983) is an American former professional football player who was a tight end in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Arizona Cardinals in the third round of the 2006 NFL draft.{{Cite web |title=2006 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2006/draft.htm |access-date=2023-05-09 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}} He played college football for the Georgia Bulldogs.
Pope was also a member of the Kansas City Chiefs, Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Chicago Bears.
Professional career
{{NFL predraft
| height ft = 6
| height in = 7 3/4
| weight = 258
| dash = 4.65
| ten split = 1.60
| twenty split = 2.71
| shuttle = 4.67
| cone drill = 7.47
| vertical = 37.5
| broad ft = 9
| broad in = 10
| bench = 22
| arm span = 34 1/4
| hand span = 9 1/4
| note = All values from NFL Combine{{Cite web |url=https://www.nfl.com/prospects/leonard-pope/3200504f-5046-3366-40bd-976b9df2a125 |title=Leonard Pope Draft and Combine Prospect Profile |website=NFL.com |access-date=December 22, 2024}}{{Cite web |url=https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=10671&DraftYear=2006 |title=Leonard Pope College Football Profile |website=DraftScout.com |access-date=December 22, 2024}}
}}
=Arizona Cardinals=
After emerging as a redzone target in 2007 with five touchdown catches, in 2008 Pope had nine catches total (none for a touchdown).
The Cardinals waived Pope on September 4, 2009.{{cite web |url= http://www.seattlepi.com/scorecard/nflnews.asp?articleID=219451|title=Cards TE Pope among 21 released as club reaches 53-man roster |author= |date=September 4, 2009 |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer |publisher= |access-date=November 16, 2009 }}
=Kansas City Chiefs=
Pope signed with the Kansas City Chiefs on September 29, 2009. Pope scored four touchdowns during his three seasons with the Chiefs. In 2011, he started ten games, setting career highs in receptions and yards, and tying his career high in average yards per catch. One of his notable plays was during the 2011 Chiefs/Packers game where the Chiefs upset the previously undefeated Packers 19–14. Pope attempted to catch the ball, was tackled and possibly fumbled the ball before he had gone out of bounds. The play was reviewed, and the referees said it was a catch.
=Pittsburgh Steelers=
Pope signed a one-year contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers on April 10, 2012, reuniting him with his former Cardinals and Chiefs coach Todd Haley, who was the Steelers offensive coordinator.[http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/sports/steelers/steelers-sign-tight-end-leonard-pope-to-one-year-deal-630752/ Steelers sign tight end Leonard Pope to one-year deal]
=Chicago Bears=
On August 3, 2013, Pope was signed by the Chicago Bears.{{cite magazine|agency=Associated Press|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/nfl/news/20130803/leonard-pope-signs-with-chicago-bears.ap/index.html?section=si_latest|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131021060222/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/nfl/news/20130803/leonard-pope-signs-with-chicago-bears.ap/index.html?section=si_latest|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 21, 2013|title=Bears sign TE Leonard Pope, waive Brody Eldridge|magazine=Sports Illustrated|date=August 3, 2013|access-date=August 3, 2013}} He was released on August 25.{{cite web|last=Mayer|first=Larry|url=http://www.chicagobears.com/news/article-1/Bears-waive-14-players-roster-now-stands-at-76/6d1c271a-b4db-42ae-9902-c75b064637bd|title=Bears waive 14 players; roster now stands at 76|publisher=Chicago Bears|date=August 25, 2013|access-date=August 25, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170331115645/http://www.chicagobears.com/news/article-1/Bears-waive-14-players-roster-now-stands-at-76/6d1c271a-b4db-42ae-9902-c75b064637bd|archive-date=March 31, 2017|url-status=dead}}
Personal life
Pope has four brothers, four sisters, two daughters (Cheryan and Laila Pope), and three sons (Leonard Pope IV, Lucas Rylan Pope and Lawson Reid Pope). He attended Americus High School in Americus, Georgia.
Pope saved 6-year-old Bryson Moore from drowning in June 2011.[https://www.espn.com/espn/story/_/id/6826698/rick-reilly-leonard-pope-heroics/ Leonard Pope to the rescue]
Pope's nickname is "Champ", and he has a charity foundation also called CHAMP (Creating Hope And Making Progress) to help under-privileged children.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.kcchiefs.com/team/roster/Leonard-Pope/122b747b-d432-4a7a-b340-c7ba8d134030 Kansas City Chiefs bio] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100918235802/http://www.kcchiefs.com/team/roster/Leonard-Pope/122b747b-d432-4a7a-b340-c7ba8d134030 |date=September 18, 2010 }}
- {{official website|http://www.leonardpope45.com}}
{{Cardinals2006DraftPicks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pope, Leonard}}
Category:Sportspeople from Americus, Georgia
Category:Players of American football from Georgia (U.S. state)
Category:American football tight ends
Category:Georgia Bulldogs football players
Category:Arizona Cardinals players
Category:Kansas City Chiefs players