Derrick Pope Derrick Trayon Pope ( born May 4 , 1982 in Galveston , Texas ) is a professional American and Canadian football linebacker who is currently a free agent . He was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the seventh round of the 2004 NFL Draft . He played college football at Alabama . Pope has also been a member of the Minnesota Vikings and the Hamilton Tiger - Cats . Early years . Pope grew up in Palm Terrace . He was raised by a single mother Stephanie Pope anad stepfather Horace Byrd Jr . Pope has two younger siblings Roshawn Pope and Shakari Byrd stepbrother to First Male Tornette Horace Byrd III . He attended Ball High School in Galveston , Texas . He was named as the school ' s Offensive MVP and first - team All - District selection as a running back . He also played basketball , baseball and ran track . Pope is married to Danielle Venible . Together they have two kids Dalaney an Derrick Jr . He also has a son named Chauncey who is his oldest child . College career . Community College . Pope played at Garden City Community College for two seasons ( 2000 - 01 ) prior to enrolling at Alabama . As a freshman , he led the team with 127 tackles and twenty sacks , and was a first - team JUCO All - America and first - team All - Jayhawk Conference choice . He recorded 125 tackles with nine sacks , 16 stops behind the line of scrimmage and returned two fumble recoveries for touchdown s as a sophomore He was a first - team All - America choice and Region VI Defensive Most Valuable Player at middle linebacker . He added first - team All - Jayhawk Conference accolades . Alabama . During his first year at Alabama , Pope saw action in 13 games with three starts at middle linebacker as a junior . He ranked fifth on the team with 65 tackles ( 37 solo ) , including a sack , six stops for loss and three quarterback pressures . He also intercepted a pass , caused two fumbles and recovered another . Pope played in 12 games with ten starts at strongside linebacker as a senior when he served as team captain . He was named a first - team All - Southeastern Conference selection by the Associated Press . He was the recipient of the team ’ s Lee Roy Jordan Headhunter Award . On the year he finished third on the team with 105 tackles ( 55 solo ) , including five sacks , nine stops for losses and five quarterback pressures . He also deflected six passes and intercepted another . Following the season , he played in the Senior Bowl and Blue - Gray Football Classic . In his career , Pope started 13 of 25 games for the Crimson Tide , recording 170 tackles ( 92 solo ) with six sacks , 15 stops for loss , two forced fumbles , a fumble recovery , two interceptions and six pass deflections . Pope was also named Team Captain and had his hands a cleats inshrine at the University of Alabama . Professional career . Miami Dolphins . Pope was originally drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the seventh - round ( 222nd overall ) in the 2004 NFL Draft . He was selected with a pick obtained from the Baltimore Ravens in a draft trade - down . On July 30 , 2004 Pope was signed to a four - year deal worth around $ 2 . 4 million . The deal included a signing bonus of about $ 43 , 000 , along with incentives that could increase the contract ' s value . Pope impressed the Dolphins ' coaching staff early in his professional career and went on to appear in all 16 games , including three starts , in his rookie season . He posted 44 tackles , two sacks , a forced fumble and a fumble recovery which he returned for a touchdown . He also ranked fifth on the squad with nine special teams tackles . He saw action in each of the first 11 games of the season in a reserve role . Although he did not start , Pope saw extended action at San Francisco on November 28 after Zach Thomas left the game in the first quarter with a hamstring injury . Pope responded with seventeen tackles , his first career sack and a fumble recovery . With 3 : 10 to play in the game , Pope picked up a Tim Rattay fumble that was forced by Jason Taylor and took it in one yard for a touchdown . The score gave the Dolphins a 24 - 10 lead in a game they went on to win , 24 - 17 . He became the first defensive rookie to score a touchdown for the Dolphins since Zach Thomas returned an interception 26 yards for a score on November 17 , 1996 against the Houston Oilers . Pope ' s first career start came the following week against the Buffalo Bills , and he kept that spot for three straight weeks before Thomas returned to the lineup . In the Bills game , Pope recorded eight tackles and his second sack in as many weeks . On December 12 against the Denver Broncos , he tallied a season - high 14 tackles and a forced fumble , with the tackle figure leading the team that day . In 2005 , Pope played in 12 games , including two starts , while being inactive for four contests . He posted 23 tackles and a forced fumble on defense and seven stops on special teams unit . He was inactive for the first four games of the season before making his 2005 debut against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on October 16 . Pope saw extensive action at middle linebacker during the season , but opened game the at Oakland on November 27 and against Buffalo on December 5 at weakside linebacker when Channing Crowder moved to the middle to replace an injured Thomas . Pope recorded seven tackles in the Raiders game , a team high that day , and matched that total the following week in the Bills contest . He had five tackles and a forced fumble the following week against the New York Jets , when he saw extensive time as Crowder left the game early with a shoulder injury . In the game , Pope stripped the ball from running back Cedric Houston with defensive end Matt Roth recovering at the Dolphins ’ 39 . That led to a Ricky Williams 23 - yard touchdown run six plays later . Pope was know to be one of the hardest hitters on the team . In 2007 pope recorded 64 tackles two interceptions and one of those coming from the great Tom Brady Pope played in a reserve role 11 times and was inactive five times due to a hamstring injury in 2006 . On the year , he posted 12 tackles ( nine solo ) . He had a season - high fiver tackles ( three solo ) in a 24 - 20 win over the Minnesota Vikings on November 12 . Minnesota Vikings . On March 14 , 2008 , Pope was signed by the Minnesota Vikings . The team ' s Vice President of Player Personnel , Rick Spielman , was general manager of the Dolphins when Pope was drafted in 2004 . Pope was later released by the Vikings on August 25 , 2008 . Hamilton Tiger - Cats . Pope signed a practice roster agreement with the Hamilton Tiger - Cats on July 20 , 2009 . He was released seven days later .