Geoff Pope (American football)
Encyclopedia
Geoffrey "Geoff" Pope is an American football
cornerback
who is currently a free agent
. He was signed by the Miami Dolphins
as an undrafted free agent in 2007. He played college football
at Howard
.
Pope has also played for the New York Giants
, Cincinnati Bengals
and Philadelphia Eagles
. He earned a Super Bowl ring
with the Giants in Super Bowl XLII
.
, where he appeared in 25 games and racked up 24 tackles and two pass breakups from 2002 to 2004.
, Pope signed a free agent
contract with the Miami Dolphins
.
On the Dolphins' first official depth chart of training camp, released August 6, Pope was listed as the seventh and final cornerback. In the team's first preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars
on August 11, Pope registered two tackles while playing primarily on special teams and on defense in the fourth quarter.
Pope made it through the first round of cuts but was released by the team on September 1 as the roster was trimmed to 53 for the regular season. The following day, the New York Giants
signed Pope to their practice squad.
on the Giants' practice squad. With cornerback Sam Madison
injured, the Giants activated Pope from the practice squad on December 31. He replaced safety Craig Dahl
on the roster. Pope was inactive for the team's Wild Card contest, but made his NFL debut on January 13 in the team's divisional round matchup against the Dallas Cowboys
. He saw extensive playing time on defensive and special teams, recording one tackle in the contest. On January 20, Pope participated in the NFC Championship game against the Green Bay Packers
at Lambeau Field
and recorded one tackle.
Pope was released by the Giants during final cuts on August 30, 2008. The next day he was signed to the teams' practice squad, only to be released the following day on September 1.
' practice squad on September 1, 2008. He was promoted to the active roster on September 16 after guard
Frank Davis was waived. Pope was waived by the Bengals on September 23 after the team signed cornerback
Jamar Fletcher
. He was re-signed to the practice squad the following day.
Pope was released from the Bengals on October 8, 2009 and re-signed to the practice squad on October 9.
. He was waived on September 3, 2010.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
cornerback
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
who is currently a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
. He was signed by the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
as an undrafted free agent in 2007. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Howard
Howard University
Howard University is a federally chartered, non-profit, private, coeducational, nonsectarian, historically black university located in Washington, D.C., United States...
.
Pope has also played for the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
and Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. He earned a Super Bowl ring
Super Bowl ring
The Super Bowl ring is an award in the National Football League given to the winners of the league's annual championship game, the Super Bowl...
with the Giants in Super Bowl XLII
Super Bowl XLII
Super Bowl XLII was an American football game on February 3, 2008 that featured the National Football Conference champion New York Giants and the American Football Conference champion New England Patriots to decide the National Football League champion for the 2007 season...
.
Eastern Michigan
Pope originally attended Eastern MichiganEastern Michigan University
Eastern Michigan University is a comprehensive, co-educational public university located in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Ypsilanti is west of Detroit and eight miles east of Ann Arbor. The university was founded in 1849 as Michigan State Normal School...
, where he appeared in 25 games and racked up 24 tackles and two pass breakups from 2002 to 2004.
Howard
In 2005, Pope transferred to Howard seeking more playing time. He played 22 games over two seasons for the Bison, totaling 76 tackles, seven pass breakups and four interceptions.Miami Dolphins
After going undrafted in the 2007 NFL Draft2007 NFL Draft
The 2007 National Football League Draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 28 and April 29, 2007. The draft was televised for the 28th consecutive year on ESPN and ESPN2. The NFL Network also broadcast coverage of the event, its second year doing so...
, Pope signed a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
contract with the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
On the Dolphins' first official depth chart of training camp, released August 6, Pope was listed as the seventh and final cornerback. In the team's first preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
on August 11, Pope registered two tackles while playing primarily on special teams and on defense in the fourth quarter.
Pope made it through the first round of cuts but was released by the team on September 1 as the roster was trimmed to 53 for the regular season. The following day, the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
signed Pope to their practice squad.
New York Giants
Pope spent the entire 2007 regular season2007 NFL season
The 2007 NFL season was the 88th regular season of the National Football League.Regular-season play was held from September 6 to December 30....
on the Giants' practice squad. With cornerback Sam Madison
Sam Madison
Samuel Adolfus Madison, Jr. is an American football cornerback who is retired. He was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the second round of the 1997 NFL Draft. He played college football at Louisville....
injured, the Giants activated Pope from the practice squad on December 31. He replaced safety Craig Dahl
Craig Dahl
Craig Dahl is an American football safety for the St. Louis Rams of the National Football League. He was signed by the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent in 2007...
on the roster. Pope was inactive for the team's Wild Card contest, but made his NFL debut on January 13 in the team's divisional round matchup against the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
. He saw extensive playing time on defensive and special teams, recording one tackle in the contest. On January 20, Pope participated in the NFC Championship game against the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
at Lambeau Field
Lambeau Field
Lambeau Field is an outdoor football stadium in Green Bay, Wisconsin, the home of the NFL's Green Bay Packers. Opened in 1957 as City Stadium, it replaced the original City Stadium as the Packers' home field...
and recorded one tackle.
Pope was released by the Giants during final cuts on August 30, 2008. The next day he was signed to the teams' practice squad, only to be released the following day on September 1.
Cincinnati Bengals
The same day he was released from the Giants' practice squad, Pope was signed to the Cincinnati BengalsCincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
' practice squad on September 1, 2008. He was promoted to the active roster on September 16 after guard
Guard (American football)
In American and Canadian football, a guard is a player that lines up between the center and the tackles on the offensive line of a football team....
Frank Davis was waived. Pope was waived by the Bengals on September 23 after the team signed cornerback
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
Jamar Fletcher
Jamar Fletcher
Jamar Mondell Fletcher is an American football cornerback who is currently a free agent and lives in south Florida. He was drafted by the Miami Dolphins 26th overall in the 2001 NFL Draft. He played college football at Wisconsin...
. He was re-signed to the practice squad the following day.
Pope was released from the Bengals on October 8, 2009 and re-signed to the practice squad on October 9.
Philadelphia Eagles
Pope was signed off the Bengals practice squad on November 24 by the Philadelphia EaglesPhiladelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. He was waived on September 3, 2010.