Michael L. Pope (born March 14, 1942)[1] is an American former coach in the National Football League (NFL).
Pope attended Lenoir–Rhyne University in Hickory, North Carolina and played college football for the Lenoir–Rhyne Bears as a fullback from 1960 to 1963.
In February 1971, he was appointed director of high school relations for the Florida State Seminoles by newly hired head coach Larry Jones.
Pope was hired by the Bengals prior to the 1992 season and spent one year as the tight ends coach.
He spent the next 14 years as the team's tight ends coach, where he was instrumental in the development of players such as Jeremy Shockey, Jake Ballard, and Kevin Boss.
[10] Pope retired on March 1, 2017, bringing an end to a 47-year coaching career, including 34 years in the NFL.