View source for Todd Heap

{{Short description|American football player (born 1980)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name        = Todd Heap
| image       = Todd Heap 2006-11-05.jpg
| caption     = Heap with the Baltimore Ravens in 2006
| number      = 86
| position    = [[Tight end]]
| birth_date  = {{Birth date and age|1980|3|16|mf=y}}
| birth_place = [[Mesa, Arizona]], U.S.
| death_date  =
| death_place = 
| height_ft   = 6
| height_in   = 5
| weight_lbs  = 252
| high_school = [[Mountain View High School (Mesa)|Mountain View]] (Mesa)
| college     = [[Arizona State Sun Devils football|Arizona State]] (1998–2000)
| draftyear   = 2001
| draftround  = 1
| draftpick   = 31
| pastteams   = * [[Baltimore Ravens]] ({{NFL Year|2001}}–{{NFL Year|2010}})
* [[Arizona Cardinals]] ({{NFL Year|2011}}–{{NFL Year|2012}})
| highlights  = * Second-team [[All-Pro]] ([[2003 All-Pro Team|2003]])
* 2× [[Pro Bowl]] ([[2003 Pro Bowl|2002]], [[2004 Pro Bowl|2003]])
* [[National Football League Alumni|NFL Alumni Tight End of the Year]] (2006)
* [[Baltimore Ravens Ring of Honor]]
* Second-team [[College Football All-America Team|All-American]] ([[2000 College Football All-America Team|2000]])
* Third-team All-American ([[1999 College Football All-America Team|1999]])
* 2× First-team [[List of All-Pac-12 Conference football teams|All-Pac-10]] ([[1999 All-Pacific-10 Conference football team|1999]], [[2000 All-Pacific-10 Conference football team|2000]])
| statlabel1  = [[Reception (gridiron football)|Receptions]]
| statvalue1  = 499
| statlabel2  = [[Receiving yards]]
| statvalue2  = 5,869
| statlabel3  = [[Touchdown|Receiving touchdowns]]
| statvalue3  = 42
| pfr         = HeapTo00 
}}

'''Todd Benjamin Heap''' (born March 16, 1980) is an American former professional [[American football|football]] player who was a [[tight end]] for 12 seasons in the [[National Football League]] (NFL), primarily for the [[Baltimore Ravens]].  He was selected to the [[Pro Bowl]] twice with the Ravens, earning second-team [[All-Pro]] honors in 2003.

After playing [[college football]] for the [[Arizona State Sun Devils football|Arizona State Sun Devils]], Heap was selected by Baltimore in the first round of the [[2001 NFL draft]]. He played ten years for the Ravens, becoming the franchise's all-time leader in [[touchdown]] catches and second all-time in [[Reception (gridiron football)|receptions]] and yards. He played two years for the [[Arizona Cardinals]] from 2011-2012.<ref name=Downing>{{cite web |last=Downing |first=Garrett |title=Todd Heap Going Into Ravens Ring of Honor |url=http://www.baltimoreravens.com/news/article-1/Todd-Heap-Going-Into-Ravens-Ring-of-Honor/76032649-c70c-43a8-851e-0a5913a42f14 |publisher=BaltimoreRavens.com |access-date=May 14, 2014 |archive-date=May 14, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140514163803/http://www.baltimoreravens.com/news/article-1/Todd-Heap-Going-Into-Ravens-Ring-of-Honor/76032649-c70c-43a8-851e-0a5913a42f14 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Early life==
A 1998 graduate of [[Mountain View High School (Mesa)|Mountain View High School]] in [[Mesa, Arizona]], Todd lettered three years in football, three years in basketball and two years in baseball. Todd helped Mountain View win back-to-back football state championships in 1996 and 1997, going undefeated both years. He also helped both the basketball and baseball teams win a State Championship his senior year. During his high school years, Todd won many football related awards, including Arizona All-Star honors, All-Arizona, Super All-State, Arizona 5A Player of the Year, Ed Doherty Player of the Year, All-East Valley Two-Way Player of the Year as a senior and a SuperPrep All-American. Todd broke several school records, including most career receiving yards (1,377), most career receptions (87), most career touchdown receptions, and most touchdown catches in one game (3). In the state championship game against Tucson Amphitheater, he caught one touchdown pass, scored a two-point conversion and threw a 26-yard touchdown pass.{{Citation needed|date=September 2010}}

==College career==
Heap played college football at Arizona State University, majoring in pre-business. His 115 receptions broke the school record for tight ends, previously held by [[Ken Dyer]].

* 1999: 55 catches for 832 yards with three touchdowns
* 2000: 45 catches for 617 yards with three touchdowns

==Professional career==
{{NFL predraft
|    height ft = 6
|    height in = 4 5/8
|       weight = 252
|         dash = 4.68
|    ten split = 1.69
| twenty split = 2.74
|      shuttle = 
|   cone drill = 
|     vertical = 32.0
|     broad ft = 
|     broad in = 
|        bench = 22
|    wonderlic = 
|     arm span = 33
|    hand span = 9 1/2
|         note = All values are from [[NFL Combine]]<ref>{{cite web| title=NFL Combine Results: Todd Heap (2001)| url=https://nflcombineresults.com/playerpage.php?i=5840| access-date=May 13, 2018| website=Nflcombineresults.com}}</ref>
}}

===Baltimore Ravens===
The [[Baltimore Ravens]] selected Heap in the first round (31st overall) of the [[2001 NFL draft]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=2001 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2001/draft.htm |access-date=2023-03-18 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> Through the end of the [[2009 NFL season]] he played 120 total career games, starting 115.

Heap recorded 16 receptions for 206 yards and one touchdown in his [[rookie]] season, playing behind eight-time Pro-Bowler [[Shannon Sharpe]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Todd Heap 2001 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/H/HeapTo00/gamelog/2001/ |access-date=2025-05-13 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> He became the starting tight end for the Ravens in 2002 after Sharpe left in free agency. The Ravens were 7–9 in Heap's second season. He caught 68 passes for 836 yards and six [[touchdown]]s and was voted to his [[2003 Pro Bowl|first Pro Bowl]]. The following season in 2003, Heap garnered 57 receptions for 693 yards and three touchdowns, despite the Ravens having a run-first offense, behind the record breaking 2,066-yard rushing season of [[Jamal Lewis (American football)|Jamal Lewis]]. Heap was again voted to the [[2004 Pro Bowl|Pro Bowl]] as the Ravens won the [[AFC North]] division for the first time. Heap had six receptions for 80 yards and a touchdown in a 20-17 playoff loss to the [[Tennessee Titans]]. 
[[File:Johnathan Joseph and Todd Heap.jpg|thumb|left|[[Johnathan Joseph]] and Todd Heap in 2006]]
Heap was injured in the second week of the 2004 season, in a game against the [[Pittsburgh Steelers]]. He returned in Week 13, but missed the final game of the season. He finished the season with 303 yards and three touchdowns in six games. He returned healthy and ready to play in the 2005 season. The Ravens team suffered numerous injuries to their starters, and ended the season 6–10. Heap caught 75 passes for 855 yards and seven touchdowns.

In 2006 he would begin catching passes from former rival, former [[Pro Bowl]] quarterback [[Steve McNair]]. It would also prove to be the Ravens best regular season, as they won the AFC North for the second time in franchise history with a record of 13–3. Heap caught 73 passes for 765 yards and six touchdowns. Heap missed 10 games in the 2007 season due to injury, and caught only 23 passes, amassing 239 yards and one touchdown. In 2008, he collected 35 receptions for 403 yards and three touchdowns. The Ravens advanced to the AFC Championship Game for the first time since the 2000 season, but would lose to the Steelers.

Heap played through numerous injuries in the 2009 season, yet had 53 receptions for 593 yards and six touchdowns, and twice scored two touchdowns in a single game. The Ravens finished 9–7, losing in the second round of the playoffs to the [[Indianapolis Colts]]. He built on his success from the previous year in 2010, going on to have one of the best seasons of his career. In 12 games, he notched 37 receptions for 546 yards, and five touchdowns, one being a career long 65-yard touchdown. In a Week 13 match-up with the Steelers, he suffered a pulled [[hamstring]] on the first offensive snap for Baltimore, taking him out of the game. As a precaution, he missed the next three weeks, not wanting to re-aggravate or worsen the injury.

On July 25, 2011, the day the NFL announced the [[Collective Bargaining Agreement]], the Ravens announced they would be releasing him once free agency began.<ref>{{cite web |last=Walker |first=James |title=Ravens cutting four big name vets |url=https://www.espn.com/blog/afcnorth/post/_/id/29707/report-ravens-cutting-four-big-name-vets |work=Espn.com|date=July 25, 2011 }}</ref> He was officially released on July 28.<ref>{{cite web |last=Rosenthal |first=Gregg |title=Release Tracker |url=http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/07/28/release-tracker/ |work=[[Pro Football Talk]] |date=July 28, 2011 |access-date=July 29, 2011}}</ref>

===Arizona Cardinals===
On July 31, 2011, Heap signed a two-year contract with the [[Arizona Cardinals]]. He appeared in 12 games for the Cardinals, totaling 32 receptions for 377 yards and one touchdown. After being injured in a Week 2 game against the [[New England Patriots]] on September 16, 2012, late in the third quarter, he did not return for the remaining 11 weeks afterwards and was eventually released by the Cardinals on December 4, 2012.

===Retirement===
Heap retired from professional football in 2013. On May 13, 2014, the Baltimore Ravens announced Heap would be inducted into the team's [[Baltimore Ravens Ring of Honor|Ring of Honor]].<ref name=Downing/>

In 2017, Heap joined the Ravens' radio broadcast crew, to serve as a [[color analyst]] for four regular-season games.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/ravens/ravens-insider/bs-sp-ravens-radio-broadcast-team-0825-story.html|title=Former Ravens Pitta, Heap, Forsett and Johnson join radio broadcast team for 2017|work=The Baltimore Sun|date=August 25, 2017|access-date=September 16, 2016|archive-date=August 27, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170827052319/http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/ravens/ravens-insider/bs-sp-ravens-radio-broadcast-team-0825-story.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==NFL career statistics==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|-
! rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Team
! colspan="2"| Games
! colspan="5"| Receiving
! colspan="5"| Rushing
! colspan="2"| Fumbles
|-
! GP !! GS !! Rec !! Yds !! Avg !! Lng !! TD !! Att !! Yds !! Avg !! Lng !! TD !! Fum !! Lost
|-
! [[2001 NFL season|2001]] !! [[2001 Baltimore Ravens season|BAL]]
| 12 ||	6 || 16 || 206 || 12.9 || 24T || 1 || — || — || — || — || — || 1 || 1
|-
! [[2002 NFL season|2002]] !! [[2002 Baltimore Ravens season|BAL]]
| 16 ||	16 || 68 || 836 || 12.3 || 43 || 6 || 4 || 38 || 9.5 || 15 || 0 || 0 || 0
|-
! [[2003 NFL season|2003]] !! [[2003 Baltimore Ravens season|BAL]]
| 16 || 16 || 57 || 693 || 12.2 || 33T || 3 || 3 || 21 || 7.0 || 9 || 0 || 1 || 0
|-
! [[2004 NFL season|2004]] !! [[2004 Baltimore Ravens season|BAL]]
| 6 || 5 || 27 || 303 || 11.2 || 37 || 3 || — || — || — || — || — || 0 || 0
|-
! [[2005 NFL season|2005]] !! [[2005 Baltimore Ravens season|BAL]]
| 16 || 16 || 75 || 855 || 11.4 || 48 || 7 || — || — || — || — || — || 2 || 1
|-
! [[2006 NFL season|2006]] !! [[2006 Baltimore Ravens season|BAL]]
| 16 || 16 || 73 || 765 || 10.5 || 30 || 6 || — || — || — || — || — || 0 || 0
|-
! [[2007 NFL season|2007]] !! [[2007 Baltimore Ravens season|BAL]]
| 6 || 6 || 23 || 239 || 10.4 || 37 || 1 || — || — || — || — || — || 0 || 0
|- 
! [[2008 NFL season|2008]] !! [[2008 Baltimore Ravens season|BAL]]
| 16 || 16 || 35 || 403 || 11.5 || 30 || 3 || — || — || — || — || — || 1 || 1
|- 
! [[2009 NFL season|2009]] !! [[2009 Baltimore Ravens season|BAL]]
| 16 || 16 || 53 || 593 || 11.2 || 31 || 6 || 1 || 2 || 2.0 || 2 || 0 || 1 || 0
|- 
! [[2010 NFL season|2010]] !! [[2010 Baltimore Ravens season|BAL]]
| 13 || 13 || 40 || 599 || 15.0 || 65T || 5 || — || — || — || — || — || 1 || 0
|- 
! [[2011 NFL season|2011]] !! [[2011 Arizona Cardinals season|ARI]]
| 10 || 4 || 24 || 283 || 11.8 || 28 || 1 || — || — || — || — || — || 0 || 0
|- 
! [[2012 NFL season|2012]] !! [[2012 Arizona Cardinals season|ARI]]
| 2 || 1 || 8 || 94 || 11.8 || 28 || 0 || — || — || — || — || — || 0 || 0
|- 
! colspan="2"| Career !! 145 !! 131 !! 499 !! 5,869 !! 11.8 !! 65 !! 42 !! 8 !! 61 !! 7.6 !! 15 !! 0 !! 7 !! 3
|}
<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nfl.com/player/toddheap/2504764/profile|title=Todd Heap|website=Nfl.com|access-date=September 25, 2017}}</ref>

== Personal life ==
Heap and his wife Ashley had five children. Their youngest daughter, Holly, died in 2017 when Heap accidentally ran her over in his driveway while moving his vehicle.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.abc15.com/news/region-southeast-valley/mesa/child-hit-by-car-in-mesa-driveway-has-died|title=Mesa PD: Todd Heap hit, killed child with truck|date=April 15, 2017|website=Abc15.com|access-date=March 30, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Obituary for Holly Alivia Heap|url=http://www.bunkerfuneral.com/obituaries/holly-alivia-heap|website=Bunkerfuneral.com|access-date=May 15, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Boren |first=Cindy |date=April 16, 2017 |title=The anguishing, 'knee-buckling' death of former NFL player Todd Heap's daughter |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/early-lead/wp/2017/04/16/the-anguishing-knee-buckling-death-of-former-nfl-player-todd-heaps-daughter/ |newspaper=Washington Post |access-date=June 4, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Former Cardinal Todd Heap Accidentally Hits, Kills 3-Year-Ool Daughter |url=http://www.12news.com/mobile/article/sports/nfl/cardinals/former-cardinal-todd-heap-accidentally-hits-kills-3-year-old-daughter/75-431433923 |date=April 16, 2017 }}</ref> In her honor, the Heap family created Hugs from Holly, a campaign that centers around acts of kindness. Every May 4, which was Holly Heap's birthday, is “Hugs From Holly Day.”<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sportscasting.com/ex-ravens-te-todd-heap-had-immeasurable-tragedy-when-he-accidentally-killed-his-young-daughter/|title=Ex-Ravens TE Todd Heap Had Immeasurable Tragedy when He Accidentally Killed His Young Daughter|date=July 17, 2020}}</ref>

Heap is one of six children. His mother is the cousin of former pro-bowl NFL player [[Danny White]], while his great-uncle Verl played basketball at Arizona State.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baltimoreravens.com/People/Players/Active/Todd_Heap.aspx|title=Ravens Player Bio|website=Baltimoreravens.com|access-date=March 30, 2019|archive-date=December 25, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101225114543/http://www.baltimoreravens.com/People/Players/Active/Todd_Heap.aspx|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Heap is a professed member of [[the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]].<ref name="mormon">{{cite web |last=Shill|first=Aaron |title=Ravens boast most Mormon players on NFL roster |url=http://www.mormontimes.com/article/5420/Ravens-boast-most-Mormon-players-on-NFL-roster |work=[[Mormon Times]] |access-date=November 28, 2010}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{2001 NFL Draft}}
{{RavensFirstPick}}
{{Ravens2001DraftPicks}}
{{Baltimore Ravens Ring of Honor}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Heap, Todd}}
[[Category:1980 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Players of American football from Mesa, Arizona]]
[[Category:Latter Day Saints from Arizona]]
[[Category:American football tight ends]]
[[Category:Arizona State Sun Devils football players]]
[[Category:Baltimore Ravens players]]
[[Category:Arizona Cardinals players]]
[[Category:American Conference Pro Bowl players]]
[[Category:NFL announcers]]
[[Category:Baltimore Ravens announcers]]