Ravens' Heap donates his time to promote fitness

SYKESVILLE, Md. — Todd Heap made an early house call Tuesday to the home of third-grader Zachary Owings.

After the Baltimore tight end arrived at Zachary's home on a rare Ravens' day off, he and the Owings family piled into a limousine and headed to Piney Ridge elementary school. Heap spoke at length before leading an hour-long fitness class.

The endeavor was part of NFL PLAY 60, a youth health and fitness campaign aimed at getting kids active for 60 minutes a day. Stars such as Heap, Hines Ward, Jevon Kearse, Amani Toomer, Drew Brees and Donovan McNabb are involved in the program that touches all 32 NFL cities and two out-of-market sites.

Players' involvement in questionable activities has put the NFL at the center of some negative attention, including the recent actions of Dallas Cowboys defensive back Adam Jones and wide receiver Plaxico Burress of the New York Giants.

"We've got 1,800 players in the league, and Todd Heap is an example of the vast majority of them: really terrific guys who are very much involved in their community," said NFL spokesman Peter O'Reilly, who coordinated the effort at Piney Ridge. "There are things like this going on every Tuesday across the league, many of which are not seen or covered."

This was the third straight year that Heap, a two-time Pro Bowler, picked up a child at his home before heading to a Baltimore-area school to address the entire student body.

Asked how it felt to have an NFL player come to his home, Zachary replied, "It was like Christmas, the day I saw Santa."

Sheepishly, Heap said, "I just think back when I was his age, and if I ever got an opportunity like this how cool it would be. This is a big day for Zach and a big day for this school. I'm excited. It's pretty cool to see all the kids and their enthusiasm for the Ravens and me being here. It's pretty humbling."

Heap also hosts the annual Goodwill Industries Gridiron Halloween Party and, as head of the Todd Heap Foundation, has promised to raise $1 million for a pediatric wing at Baltimore's Franklin Square Hospital.