UPDATE: Steelers Sign Veteran Free Agent TE Leonard Pope

Sources are reporting the Steelers hosted veteran TE Leonard Pope, an unrestricted free agent, for a visit today.

Pope, a third round pick out of Georgia in 2006 by Arizona, has been with Steelers offensive coordinator Todd Haley since 2007, with the Cardinals through 2008, and with Kansas City since 2009.



Pope is a huge blocking tight end, bringing into question the future of David Johnson and Weslye Saunders, should Pope be signed. Johnson is a restricted free agent, but has not yet signed his tender offer from the team. Saunders is suspended for the first four games of the 2012 season for a violation of the league's policy on performance-enhancing drugs.

The Chiefs, when healthy, were a successful and dynamic running team, with Pope being a part of it. TE Heath Miller is unquestionably the team's pass-receiving option at the position, and Pope's 101 career catches suggest that wouldn't change. Their second tight end, used frequently in former Steelers' offensive coordinator Bruce Arians' offense, has been a mid-to-low draft pick (Matt Spaeth and Johnson are the most recent examples).


http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2012/4/10/2938833/nfl-2012-free-agency-steelers-leonard-pope-visit

Steelers might be getting serious about running the football.

Steelers Sign Veteran TE With Haley Ties
Leonard Pope Signs 1-Year Deal With Pittsburgh
POSTED: 4:22 pm EDT April 10, 2012
UPDATED: 4:47 pm EDT April 10, 2012


PITTSBURGH -- The Steelers signed veteran tight end Leonard Pope to a one-year deal Tuesday.

Pope, 28, is no stranger to first-year Steelers offensive coordinator Todd Haley.

He was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in 2006, where Haley was offensive coordinator from 2007-08.

After three years in the desert, Pope signed with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2009, where he spent the past three seasons.

Haley also joined the Chiefs as head coach in 2009 and remained there until he was fired 13 games into the 2011 season.


Read more: http://www.wtae.com/sports/30869003/detail.html#ixzz1rg0wa123

In signing Leonard Pope, the Steelers add a hero to the roster.

The lockout before the 2011 season took its toll on many people who rely on the NFL for a living - that's players, coaches, owners, along with writers.

One of the particularly heartwarming stories of the whole lockout ordeal was one of newly acquired Steelers TE Leonard Pope, who, as ESPN's Rick Reilly penned in August, saved a young boy's life because he wasn't at training camp.

As Reilly wrote, Pope was in attendance at a birthday party in Americus, Ga., when a young boy, Bryson Moore, began sinking in a swimming pool.

With Bryson's mother yelling for help, Pope, apparently the only one near the pool who could swim, dove in after the seven-year-old, and brought him back to the surface.



Read more...


Note: I posted this here, rather than starting another thread. It can be made into another thread if you feel it's necessary moderators, i'll leave it to you.

bayz101 wrote:

Note: I posted this here, rather than starting another thread. It can be made into another thread if you feel it's necessary moderators, i'll leave it to you.

Nah, I'm glad you kept it all in one thread.

That's a great story. I remember hearing it about when it happened, but I forgot all about it and couldn't have said who the player was if someone had mentioned it. Hopefully his signing means an end to the David Johnson era.

Wallace108 wrote:

bayz101 wrote:

Note: I posted this here, rather than starting another thread. It can be made into another thread if you feel it's necessary moderators, i'll leave it to you.

Nah, I'm glad you kept it all in one thread.

That's a great story. I remember hearing it about when it happened, but I forgot all about it and couldn't have said who the player was if someone had mentioned it. Hopefully his signing means an end to the David Johnson era.

That sonofabitch has an era named after him??

bayz101 wrote:

Wallace108 wrote:

bayz101 wrote:

Note: I posted this here, rather than starting another thread. It can be made into another thread if you feel it's necessary moderators, i'll leave it to you.

Nah, I'm glad you kept it all in one thread.

That's a great story. I remember hearing it about when it happened, but I forgot all about it and couldn't have said who the player was if someone had mentioned it. Hopefully his signing means an end to the David Johnson era.

That sonofabitch has an era named after him??

It's called the Tight End/Fullback Hybrid era. That era has been retired. Or its contract wasn't renewed. Or something.

Wallace108 wrote:

bayz101 wrote:

Wallace108 wrote:

bayz101 wrote:

Note: I posted this here, rather than starting another thread. It can be made into another thread if you feel it's necessary moderators, i'll leave it to you.

Nah, I'm glad you kept it all in one thread.

That's a great story. I remember hearing it about when it happened, but I forgot all about it and couldn't have said who the player was if someone had mentioned it. Hopefully his signing means an end to the David Johnson era.

That sonofabitch has an era named after him??

It's called the Tight End/Fullback Hybrid era. That era has been retired. Or its contract wasn't renewed. Or something.

OK so now it's the "or something era"? I'm confused!!!

solardave wrote:

Wallace108 wrote:

bayz101 wrote:

Wallace108 wrote:

bayz101 wrote:

Note: I posted this here, rather than starting another thread. It can be made into another thread if you feel it's necessary moderators, i'll leave it to you.

Nah, I'm glad you kept it all in one thread.

That's a great story. I remember hearing it about when it happened, but I forgot all about it and couldn't have said who the player was if someone had mentioned it. Hopefully his signing means an end to the David Johnson era.

That sonofabitch has an era named after him??

It's called the Tight End/Fullback Hybrid era. That era has been retired. Or its contract wasn't renewed. Or something.

OK so now it's the "or something era"? I'm confused!!!

What he said

He's big and can block so now we have Miller and Pope. This could become interesting for our running game. This has the makings of a FA steal.

I too would be glad to see David Johnson and his hands of stone gone. The fact he hasn't signed his tender yet tells me he thinks he deserves better and he really hasn't been too impressive in my eyes. This sounds like an upgrade to me. I'd rather keep Weslye Saunders and his potential (even with his PED suspension) than keep Johnson at this point.

bayz101 wrote:

What he said

Aren't you guys tired of the "sonofabitch" and "what he said" catchphrases yet? Jokes are funnier when they're used sparingly and unexpectedly.
HINT!!!!

Wallace108 wrote:

bayz101 wrote:

What he said

Aren't you guys tired of the "sonofabitch" and "what he said" catchphrases yet? Jokes are funnier when they're used sparingly and unexpectedly.
HINT!!!!

Either i'm going crazy, or I've heard that before

bayz101 wrote:

Wallace108 wrote:

bayz101 wrote:

What he said

Aren't you guys tired of the "sonofabitch" and "what he said" catchphrases yet? Jokes are funnier when they're used sparingly and unexpectedly.
HINT!!!!

Either i'm going crazy, or I've heard that before

Now you know how I feel.

good signing, and i agree i hope this means the end for johnson

vasteeler wrote:

good signing, and i agree i hope this means the end for johnson

I'm not even sure I understand how Johnson made it this far. Even when in to block, he wasn't that great (imo), and often times whiffed on his assignment, especially on end arounds.

It will be interesting to see how Pope fits in to the grand scheme of Haley's offense and seeing how his previous employers aren't challengers for another SB, this new placement should help his production in blocking and catching - although playing along side Miller isn't going to get him many balls thrown his way, I'm sure Haley has a plan for Pope.