Heath Miller Story

By: Jim Wexell-Steelers Digest

September 18 , 2009

Perhaps no one in the Steelers’ locker room has the respect of his teammates that Heath Miller has.

Consider that Ben Roethlisberger, who asks reporters not to bug him on Thursdays or Fridays, stopped in his tracks - and on his text machine - to talk in detail about his tight end last Thursday.

Consider that Brett Keisel hopes his young son Jacob grows up to be just like Miller.

Consider that Hines Ward, a teacher of work ethic to young receivers, said, "I love everything about Heath."

The coaches would certainly agree with all of the above, particularly after Miller's performance in the opener against Tennessee. He caught eight passes for 64 yards and made one of his extraordinary hustle plays by sprinting 60 yards to help Max Starks tackle Cortland Finnegan on his interception return of Roethlisberger's Hail Mary pass before halftime.

"I'm so glad I didn't have to make that tackle," said Roethlisberger, who, in the last four-plus seasons, has come to lean heavily on Miller.

"I've said this a thousand times," Roethlisberger said. "He's one of the best - if not the best - tight ends in the game. It's unfortunate he doesn't get the recognition or credit for it. I wish analysts would just take the time and watch him play the game - the way he blocks, the way he catches the ball, the precision, the way he finishes plays. He might be one of the only guys on the field who, when a guy catches a pass, is trying to push the pile - on every single play. One hundred percent of the time he's giving 100 percent effort and it's all the way through the whistle. He's as good as a lineman blocking and he's as good as a receiver catching the ball. He doesn’t have a lot of moves after the catch, so I like to give him a hard time about that, but he truly is one of the best in the game. I can't say enough about him."

Going into the Chicago game, Miller had caught 69 career passes and scored 21 touchdowns since being drafted in the first round in 2005. A week or so before the draft, Roethlisberger’s agent, Ryan Tollner, told reporters over lunch that he hoped the Steelers would draft a tight end such as Miller, who could develop into his client's "right-hand man," or a receiver who'll always be there to bail the quarterback out of trouble. And that's exactly what has happened.

"He plays ball," Roethlisberger said. "You know, it's one of those things. We don’t practice it; you don't have to with a guy like that. It's just that I know where he's going to be. And it's easy to throw to a guy like that when he can catch anything in this area (forms a large wingspan), and then some.

"Normally our receivers will drop maybe one a week, two a week, whatever; he'll drop one every other week and people are like (facial expression of wonderment) - and then they make fun of him. It's just easy to throw to a guy when you don't have to concentrate on putting it right here (chest area). When you’re scrambling and you find him, he's always looking for the ball, and it's comforting."

In last season's AFC Championship Game, Miller lined up in the backfield and picked up a blitzing linebacker to allow Roethlisberger to throw 15 yards to Santonio Holmes at midfield. Holmes cut back across the field where he was joined by the hustling Miller, who provided Holmes full protection for the final 20 yards of a 65-yard touchdown play. It was classic Heath Miller.

"It's just the mentality we all try to play with here," Miller said with an aw-shucks grin. "I know Hines Ward would've made that block for him if he were in the same situation, so I want to be the guy to make the block for them also."

"On the play I fumbled, he was down there blocking for me," said Ward. "Heath is a good ol' country boy who does everything the right way. I rarely find him trash talking. I rarely find him joking around. He's a great student. He's always asking me about coverages, stuff like that.

"It's unfortunate he's never compared with the best tight ends, but he's right there. He doesn’t really need the Pro Bowls or accolades to prove what type of player he is, because we know he's one of the best tight ends out there."

And he's one of the best human beings out there. Born in the small Appalachian Mountains town of Swords Creek, Virginia, Earl Heath Miller was taught humility and a strong work ethic from his parents, Earl and Denise Miller.

"I've met his dad," said Keisel, "and Heath is a replica. He's a big man like Heath, quiet, humble, and happy. Guys like that are a pleasure to be around."

Heath's dad and future high school coach took Heath to his first NFL game - a Steelers-Browns at the Dawg Pound in Cleveland - when he was a child. Heath remembers Eric Metcalf returning a punt for a touchdown, but little else. He was probably more interested in what his favorite players Randall Cunningham and Walter Payton were doing in Philadelphia and Chicago.

Of course, Heath is Mr. Pittsburgh right now. He and his wife Katie and infant son Chase Earl live in the area, and after signing a long-term contract extension in the offseason Heath could be wearing black and gold for the remainder of his career.

"I'm hopeful that's the case,” he said. "I couldn't think of a better city to play football in than Pittsburgh. It's a great organization with a great coach and there are great men in this locker room. For me, it couldn't be a better situation."

For them, either.