Patrick Hape is a former American football

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...

 fullback

Fullback (American football)

A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...

 and tight end

Tight end

The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...

 for the Denver Broncos

Denver Broncos

The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...

, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...

, and Houston Texans

Houston Texans

The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston, Texas. The team is currently a member of the Southern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...

 of the NFL.

Patrick Hape played 4 seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as a tight end, and 5 seasons with the Denver Broncos, although he did not play in 2005. His career high in receptions came in 2001 when he had 15 catches for 96 yards and 3 touchdowns in his first year with the Broncos. In eight seasons, Hape managed to grab 51 receptions for 287 yards and 11 touchdowns. 22% of his career receptions were touchdowns.
http://pro-football-reference.com/cgi-bin/search.cgi He also scored the very first regular season touchdown at Invesco Field at Mile High.

In December 2000, Hape was fined $5,000 by the NFL for excessive endzone celebration with teammates Keyshawn Johnson and Dave Moore.
http://www.cbc.ca/sports/story/2000/12/22/bobnweave001222.html
He was known for his versatility, outstanding blocking, durability in remaining rather injury-free, reliability near the goaline, ability to play the H-Back position (a position developed by coach Joe Gibbs

Joe Gibbs

Joe Jackson Gibbs is a former American football coach, NASCAR Championship team owner, and two time NHRA Pro Stock team owner. He was the 20th and 26th head coach in the history of the Washington Redskins...

), and a colorful personality in the locker room.

Signed a three-year, $1.7 million contract with the Broncos in April, 2004,
http://www.fanball.com/fb/playerProfile.cfm/pid.1292 only to be cut by Denver on August 30, 2005.
http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/playerTransactions?categoryId=69569
In late May 2006, free agent jack-of-many-trades Patrick Hape was briefly reunited with his former offensive coordinator, Gary Kubiak, signing a contract with the Houston Texans after being out of the league in 2005.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2465878 He was released by the Houston Texans less than three months later essentially ending his active NFL career.
http://www.sportsline.com/nfl/players/playerpage/1864 He is no longer listed as an active NFL player, nor has he explicitly retired.
http://www.nfl.com/players/playerindex/H

Hape is also friends with former-Buccaneer teammate, Mike Alstott

Mike Alstott

Michael Joseph Alstott , nicknamed "A-Train", is a former American football fullback in the National Football League. He spent his entire 12-year career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He played college football at Purdue...

.

As a Buccaneer, he wore jersey #82. As a Bronco, he switched to #86. In his brief stint as a Texan in 2006, he wore #45.
He is an avid golfer even winning the Town of Castle Rock Celebrity Golf Tournament in 2004, playing with other Denver Bronco teammates.
http://www.townofcastlerock.org/Calendar.asp?View=EVENT&EventID=597&Date=06/28/2005&SectionID=-1

He went on bowling excursions to bolster team chemistry while in Denver with then-Bronco teammates including Matt Lepsis

Matt Lepsis

Matthew Stanley Lepsis is a former American football offensive tackle of the National Football League. He was originally signed by the Denver Broncos as an undrafted free agent in 1997 and remained with the team until his retirement following the 2007 season...

, Tom Nalen

Tom Nalen

Thomas Andrew Nalen is a former American football center who played for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League...

, and Jeb Putzier

Jeb Putzier

Jebediah Lee Putzier ) is an American football tight end who is currently a free agent.-Early years:Putzier attended Eagle High School in his hometown Eagle, Idaho. He also lettered in Basketball...

.
http://cbs4denver.com/topstories/local_story_182185517.html

The future NFLer earned all-state accolades while playing tight end, linebacker and running back at Brooks High School

Brooks High School (Killen, Alabama)

Brooks High School is a public high school located in Killen, Alabama. It is one of eleven public schools in the Lauderdale County, AL School District...

 in Alabama. Hape rushed for 660 yards and scored seven touchdowns as a prep. At the University of Alabama, Pat Hape majored in Business Management.
http://www.nflplayers.com/players/player.aspx?id=25111

Residing in Aurora, Colorado, Patrick is married to his wife, Jennifer Hape.
http://www.nflplayers.com/players/player.aspx?id=25111