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November 15, 2009 Bengals edge out Steelers
Steelers 12, Bengals 18 From Teresa Varley, Steelers.com: The Steelers weren't able to get in the end zone and it cost them, losing to the Cincinnati Bengals 18-12 at Heinz Field. The win puts the Bengals in first place in the AFC North with a 7-2 record, while the Steelers fall to 6-3. The Steelers were three for 15 on third down, and on four trips inside the red zone had to settle for a field goal each time. Rashard Mendenhall had only 13 carries for 36 yards and Ben Roethlisberger completed 20 passes for 174 yards, with one interception. "We were below the line, that's not winning football on a lot of fronts, specifically when you're playing a quality team as the Bengals are," said Coach Mike Tomlin. "When you kick field goals, you potentially expose yourself to losses. We weren't able to execute in the red zone today offensively." The Steelers defense gave a strong effort, holding the Bengals to four field goals. But another kick return for a touchdown proved costly. "Anytime you allow people to score touchdowns and your defense is not on the field, you expose yourself to losing football," said Tomlin. "We've got some work to do, we're a team that's developing. It's a step back today. I trust that this group will respond appropriately, I know that we're going to move forward when we get back in tomorrow with that in mind, but today, job not done." Miller stats: Heath had four receptions for twenty-six yards. Click here for game photos. November 10, 2009 Steelers improve to 6-2Steelers 28, Broncos 10 From Scott Brown, Tribune-Review: Not much has come easy for the Steelers during their tour as reigning Super Bowl champions. They nonetheless arrived at the midway point of the season with a five-game winning streak in tow. Ben Roethlisberger threw for 233 yards and three touchdowns and the Steelers' defense scored more TDs than it gave up Monday night in front of an announced crowd of 76,108 at Invesco Field. As a result, the Steelers won a regular-season game in Denver for the first time since 1990. Their resounding 28-10 victory also set up a showdown with the Bengals on Sunday at Heinz Field with sole possession of first place in the AFC North on the line. The Steelers (6-2) got to this point in large part because the defense scored the first touchdown of the game and shut down the Broncos in the second half when the outcome still hung in the balance. Free safety Tyrone Carter returned an interception 48 yards for a touchdown early in the second quarter to get the Steelers on the scoreboard. Strong safety Troy Polamalu helped put the Broncos (6-2) away by intercepting Kyle Orton deep in Steelers' territory in the fourth quarter. That set up Roethlisberger's 25-yard touchdown pass to rookie wideout Mike Wallace on a third-and-10 play with just over seven minutes left in the game. It allowed the Steelers to open up an 11-point lead. That touchdown pass proved to be one of the biggest plays in the second half. The Steelers also got several big runs by Rashard Mendenhall, who rushed for 130 of his game-high 155 yards after halftime. To read more about the game, click on the link after Mr. Brown's name above. Heath had three receptions for eighteen yards. He also had numerous key blocks to help his teammates. Pro Bowl: Please keep voting to send Miller to Miami for the Pro Bowl! The link is on the right side of this page. Also... ...Ben Roethlisberger is nominated for Fed Ex Air player of the week after his performance Monday night. Click here to vote. And, Mike Wallace is nominated for Rookie of the week. Click here to vote. October 30, 2009 Talking with Katie Miller
From Bob Pompeani, KDKA: When Heath Miller isn't helping his team on Sunday afternoons, you can bet he's helping people in the community. Miller and his wife, Katie, are hosting the annual Glimmer of Hope event which raises money in the fight against breast cancer. His popularity as a teammate is evident because they all come out to support him, but nobody supports him like his wife Katie. "He's a great dad with our son and he's a great husband - I really honestly couldn't ask for anyone better," she said. "He's a great football player but he's a better husband." Miller is a great football player who recently just caught his 25th career touchdown pass and is on pace to erase all pervious Steelers tight end records. He's a guy who never drops anything- on the field at least. "He drops a lot of stuff around the house," Katie said. "So I'm like, 'Come on, where's the good hands?'" Pompeani: "Have you ever seen him when he's not quiet?" Katie:"When he gets mad he gets crazy eyes, he gets really big eyes when he gets upset. But I've never really heard him raise his voice ever." Miller is a gentle giant. In fact, Katie says she had to take the lead in asking for the first date. "I definitely was interested but I had another boyfriend at the time, but I liked him - I just thought he was really big," she said. "I had never met anyone that tall before. Our football team was like 5'10" in high school." To see a couple photos from Bid for Hope, click here. October 28, 2009 Send Miller to Miami
Don't worry, I am not campaigning to send Heath to the Dolphins! I'd like to see him sent to Miami for the 2010 Pro Bowl! It will be held in Miami, Florida on January 31st. Voting is underway, and since fan voting counts for one-third of the total votes, we can help send him to his first Pro Bowl. Click here to vote. Once on the ballot page, click on AFC Offense and then Tight Ends. Voting is unlimited, so vote often! And, spread the word to others to Send Miller to Miami! There is a link on the right side of this page with the voting link also. October 26, 2009 Miller ranks 2nd in all-time receptions for Steelers tight ends
Steelers 27, Vikings 17 Heath needed just one reception to move into second place for Steelers all-time receptions. Well, he had six receptions (for thirty-eight) yards against the Vikings. Heath has 208 career catches and trails only Elbie Nickel (329) in that category. Congratulations to #83 From Teresa Varley, Steelers.com: It was a defensive battle from the onset and it was only fitting that two defensive touchdowns sealed the Steelers 27-17 win over the Minnesota Vikings. The win improves the Steelers record to 5-2 heading into their bye week, while the 6-1 Vikings suffered their first loss of the season. Linebacker LaMarr Woodley returned a fumble recovery for a score (set up by Brett Keisel's sack and forced fumble on Favre), while fellow linebacker Keyaron Fox took an interception the distance in the closing minutes of the game for the win. "They pounded a couple in on us but we stayed in the fight, guys didn't blink and to their credit, we were able to win the game," said Coach Mike Tomlin. "When you put a couple of splash plays defensively; you put 14 points on the board defensively you can overcome a lot of errors." "We were far from a perfect team, but we won today. We'll accept that, we’re very complimentary of that football team that we played today, they’re good. It's good to get into a bye winning a few in a row and we'll continue to improve in our areas of deficiency, kickoff coverage being one of them." To read the entire article, click here. As I mentioned earlier, Heath had six receptions during the win, and numerous blocks to help his teammates. For game photos of Miller: Click here. October 23, 2009 "Touchdown-catching machine"
"The Vikings have Adrian Peterson. The Steelers have Rashard Mendenhall. But I'll take Heath Miller! He's a touchdown-catching machine!"-Steve Czaban, from the "Steve Czaban Show" on FOX Sports Radio. Thanks to Erin, Big Ben News for sending me that quote. Miller watch: Miller needs one reception to move into sole possession of second on the team's all-time list for tight ends. Heath is tied with Bennie Cunningham with 202 career receptions. Contest winner: Kevin from Miami, Florida was the 27th emailer. Congratulations Kevin! Thanks to all who entered the contest. I had over 700 emails. Due to the large response, I will be doing another contest soon, so check back! October 22, 2009 Happy Birthday HeathTo celebrate Miller's birthday... If you are my 27th emailer, you will receive an authentic SB XLIII #83 jersey! The size is XXL. No questions to answer or hoops to jump through...just be the 27th person to email me and you win! E-mail: trish@heath-miller.com Please only email the address of this site, which is listed above. You can also access the email by clicking on Contact at the top of this page. No entries will be accepted through the MySpace or Facebook pages. I will announce the winner on Friday. Also... Heath and Katie Miller hosted Bid for Hope Monday night. To read about the event, click here. October 21, 2009 Steelers Speak...
Bob Labriola's latest edition of Steelers Speak has him sitting down and speaking with...Heath Miller this week! Miller discusses the offense and Ben Roethlisberger, his self evaluation, the best tight ends in the NFL and why he loves playing tight end for the Steelers. To see the interview, click here. Scroll past the post-game interviews to get to the interview. You can also view Miller's post-game interview from the Browns game there-the audio problems are now fixed. It only took me one (ok...four) emails to get them to fix it. Thanks to Misty for alerting me to the Steelers Speak interview! Heath on the cover: Check out Heath and Katie Miller on the cover of Northern Connection magazine! The cover is on the right side of this page, under Miller Covers. I will post news and photos from the Bid for Hope event soon! October 19, 2009 Miller gets 25th NFL career TD
Steelers 27, Browns 14 Ben Roethlisberger's eight-yard touchdown pass to Heath helped #83 set a record. It was Miller's 25th career touchdown catch, passing Eric Green to move into second place in team history among tight ends. Elbie Nickel ranks first, with 37 touchdown catches from 1947-57. Miller, who has three receptions for 52 yards, became the third Steelers tight end to record 200 career catches. Congratulations to Heath! From Steelcityinsider: The only thing that could stop the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday was the Pittsburgh Steelers. Pittsburgh rolled up a season-high 543 yards, including 417 yards passing by quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. But four Pittsburgh turnovers – three of which came in the second half – kept things closer than they needed to be as the Steelers came away with a 27-14 victory over the Browns here at Heinz Field. Unlike other opponents this season, the Browns - who had four turnovers of their own - failed to mount a comeback as the Steelers defeated Cleveland for the 12th consecutive time and 18th in their last 19 meetings. The victory improved Pittsburgh’s record to 4-2 and left them tied with Cincinnati, a loser to Houston Sunday, tied atop the AFC North standings. Wide receiver Hines Ward caught eight passes for 159 yards and a touchdown. Fellow wideout Santonio Holmes also grabbed five passes for 104 yards, while tight end Heath Miller had five receptions for 80 yards and a score. And the rushing attack produced a season-high 140 yards, with Rashard Mendenhall picking up 62 on 17 carries with a touchdown. Cleveland, which completed just two passes in the first half, came out throwing in the third quarter and quickly trimmed Pittsburgh’s lead to 17-14 on a one-yard pass by Derek Anderson to fullback Lawrence Vickers. But the Steelers answered that score, as Roethlisberger and Ward connected on a 45-yard pass to set up a two-yard TD run by Mendenhall. The two teams traded turnovers on the next five possessions before the Steelers put the game away with a 39-yard field goal by Reed with 5:47 remaining. Miller stats: Heath had five receptions for eighty yards,and scored a touchdown in the Steelers win. To see photos from the game, click here. To listen to Heath's post game interview, click here. The audio is choppy, so hopefully that will be fixed soon. Congratulations to Ben Roethlisberger: He tied Hall of Fame QB Terry Bradshaw for first on the Steelers All-Time list with 31 career 100-plus passer rating games. Heath talks about Ben Roethlisberger: "This is the best I've ever seen (Roethlisberger) play. I've seen him play pretty darn good sometimes. I just think the more you do something, the more comfortable you are with it and Ben has full command of this offense. He's had full command for a few years now, but he just keeps getting better and better." Event reminder: Heath and his wife will host Bid for Hope tonight. I will post news and photos after the event! October 13, 2009 Miller's in the 'Money'Several Steelers have catchy nicknames, but none more fitting than Heath Miller's. Ben Roethlisberger is 'Big Ben." James Harrison is "Deebo." Brett Keisel is "Diesel." Casey Hampton is "Big Snack." But when Miller's teammates at the University of Virginia started calling him "Big Money," they gave him a very appropriate nickname. When he played for the Cavaliers, Miller was a pass-catching machine with 71 receptions as a junior and 41 as a senior when he won the Mackey Award as the best tight end in the country. Since coming to Pittsburgh as a first-round pick in the 2005 NFL Draft, the Steelers have long regarded him as one of the most complete tight ends in the league. Through his first four pro seasons, Miller has posted respectable pass-catching numbers while excelling as a blocker. This year, Miller has been outstanding in both areas. Since signing a lucrative contract extension right before the start of training camp, Miller has indeed been "Big Money." With 29 catches, he ranks seventh in the NFL. He also leads the Steelers with three touchdown catches. This could be the year Miller finally makes it to the Pro Bowl. To read the rest of the article, click here. I will be posting a link for Pro Bowl voting when it becomes available. If voting remains the same, fan votes will count for one-third of the voting and there is no limit to the number of times you can vote. So, be ready to help get Miller voted to his first Pro Bowl! October 12, 2009 Miller scores again
Steelers 28, Lions 20 Heath scored touchdown number three on the season in the win over the Lions yesterday. He had five receptions for fifty four yards. From Teresa Varley, Steelers.com: The Steelers were able to hold off a late surge by the Detroit Lions to come away with a 28-20 win at Ford Field. The win improves their record to 3-2 and keeps them right in the hunt in the AFC North. The offense opened with a five-yard completion from Roethlisberger to Hines Ward, but that would be all they could muster early. Roethlisberger couldn’t connect with a well-covered Heath Miller and on third down Limas Sweed couldn’t hang on to the ball. It was a different story for the Lions on their opening drive. Culpepper was sacked for a six-yard loss by James Harrison, but on third-and-11 scrambled and got free for a 32-yard gain. Culpepper mishandled the snap on the next play, but was able to recover the ball. He once again was faced with third-and-long, and came through again with a 16-yard completion to Maurice Morris. But they weren’t able to convert their next third down, bringing on Jason Hanson for a 46-yard field goal and an early 3-0 lead. An undeterred Steelers offense came storming right back. Roethlisberger hit Mendenhall for a nine-yard gain and then Mendenhall broke loose for a 27-yard run to the Lions 28-yard line. Roethlisberger found Ward for a 21-yard gain and it was Mendenhall who took it in the end zone with ease on a seven-yard carry to go on top 7-3. A huge break on the next drive kept the Steelers in control. On third-and-four from the Lions 45-yard line Eric King intercepted Roethlisberger, a play that could have been a huge shift in the momentum. But defensive tackle Landon Cohen was called for roughing the passer, hitting Roethlisberger below the knees. With new life Roethlisberger found Santonio Holmes for 11 yards and Mendenhall took it for nine yards. Mendenhall took it in the end zone for a five-yard score, but the play was called back for a holding call on Matt Spaeth. It was right back to the end zone on the next play when Roethlisberger hit Miller over the middle, and the big tight end fought his way for the 15-yard touchdown, going up 14-6. Stefan Logan gave the Steelers great field position, taking the kickoff at the one-yard line and taking it 47 yards. Miller took control with three big receptions on the drive, for 10, 11 and nine yards. It was Ward whose number was called next, as he battled for a 17-yard touchdown to extend the lead to 21-13. The Lions had a chance to cut the lead early in the second half, but Hanson, who already hit two long field goals, missed from 49 yards out. Taking over at their own 39-yard line the Steelers were able to pick up where they left off in the first half. Roethlisberger completed short passes to Ward and Mewelde Moore for a first down at the 47-yard line. Roethlisberger aired it out from there and Wallace, who let one slip through his fingers earlier in the game, wasn’t about to let this one get away as he pulled it in for his first NFL touchdown, putting the Steelers up 28-13. Another Lions drive came up empty after they took it all the way down to the Steelers 28-yard line. Culpepper mishandled the snap, recovered, and looked to throw the ball away, but safety Ryan Clark was the only one in the vicinity and came up with the interception at the 22-yard line. Culpepper drove the Lions from their own 18-yard line, moving the ball all the way down the field where he hit Northcutt for a 25-yard touchdown to close the gap to 28-20. After holding the Steelers to a three-and-out, the Lions got the ball back with a shot at a comeback. But the defense stepped up huge. On first-and-10 Culpepper was sacked by LaMarr Woodley and William Gay for a six-yard loss. Gay sacked Culpepper for a five-yard loss on the next play and Lawrence Timmons got in on the act, sacking Culpepper for a 13-yard loss back to the 45-yard line. On fourth down Culpepper aired it out for Northcutt, but Ike Taylor was able to knock the ball away to secure the win. To view game photos of Heath, click here. To view video highlights of Heath, click here. Great article: John Harris, Tribune-Review, wrote a nice article on Heath. He talks about Miller's numbers being on target for a Pro Bowl nod. To read the article, click here. Humble Heath: Big Ben was asked who on his team was the exception to the rule that they all have big egos: "We all have big egos, but Heath hasn't complained in five years." Thanks to Erin, manager of Big Ben News, for catching that quote for me. Visit her site to keep up with Ben Roethlisberger. To see pictures of Heath and his wife from the fashion show last week, check out the October 9 news. October 9, 2009 Steelers step out in style
From Teresa Varley, Steelers.com: For one night fashion took precedence over football when Steelers Style 09 was held at Heinz Field. The team’s annual fashion show featured players and their families modeling the latest styles from Reebok, Nordstrom and American Eagle in a show filled with plenty of energy and excitement. Art and Greta Rooney and Mike and Kiya Tomlin served as the chairpersons for the event, which benefitted the Thomas E. Starzl Transplantation Institute at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and the Cancer Caring Center. "The work that is done by our charities that benefit from tonight is important work," said Art Rooney, II. "I had a chance to talk to Dr. (Paulo) Fontes before the event tonight and he was explaining to me some of the new research they are doing trying to find out ways to allow the organs that are donated to live longer so the organs make it to the recipient. That is the kind of work that is being researched and that is why it is so important you support this effort every year." Heath Miller and Ike Taylor served as the honorary co-captains, kicking off the “Celebrating Steelers Tradition” with the jersey scene. "It's fun. It gives the team an opportunity to get together outside of football and have fun with their families and also interact with the fans," said Miller. "I can't claim to be the most fashionable guy on the team. Maybe this fashion show will help me out and give me some ideas for the future." "But the main reason we are doing this is so we can benefit the charities. Knowing it is for a good cause is a good thing." To see photos of Heath and his wife from the event, click here. October 6, 2009 Miller suits up for fashion
Heath and teammate Ike Taylor will co-host the Steelers Style Fashion show this week. They are co-chairing the event with coach Mike Tomlin and his wife, Kiya, at Heinz Field, East Club. This is the first time the show will be held there. "We anticipate it will create an intimate setting with a high-impact visual twist," Mrs. Rooney said. The evening, which benefits UPMC Thomas E. Starzl Transplantation Institute and the Cancer Caring Center, is always a hit with fans and the families of the players. Tight end Heath Miller and cornerback Ike Taylor are the captains of the '09 catwalk. "Knowing that we are helping such worthwhile charities is motivation enough to get involved," said Mr. Miller. He admitted when the shoulder pads are off he is usually in jeans and a T-shirt. "I like to dress casual whenever I can. It's rare that you will ever see me in a suit, but the fashion show is for a special cause, so I don't mind dressing up for a good reason," said Mr. Miller. For more information on the event, or to purchase tickets, check out the link on the right side of this page, under Events and Appearances. I added some more pictures from the San Diego game. To view them, click here. October 4, 2009 HEEEAATHHHH scores...
Steelers 38, Chargers 28 ...TWICE! And, he scored with passes from two different teammates. First, he caught a six-yard pass from Ben Roethlisberger, and then he caught another six-yard pass from Mewelde Moore. Heath had eight receptions for seventy yards. Missed his TD catches? No problem...you can watch the video here. To view game photos, click here.. FYI... I receive several emails weekly asking why the crowd seems to boo when Heath has a reception or scores. You are not hearing boo's. The crowd chants HEEEAATHHHH loudly and on television it sounds like boo's, but rest assured the crowd is cheering for him versus boo'ing him. October 3, 2009 Heath joins Team Elijah
From Teresa Varley, Steelers.com: After a year filled with heartache and fear, with worries and concerns, with uncertainty and anxiety, Aaron Smith finally got to enjoy different emotions this week – happiness and joy. Smith and his wife Jaimie received news almost a year ago that sent their world spiraling. Their son Elijah, who was five at the time, was diagnosed with leukemia. Tears were shed and prayers were said. There were good days when things were hopeful and bad days when the world seemed dark. But light has returned to the Smith family. Elijah is now a happy and healthy six-year old with a bright smile and boundless energy. And that was on full display when the Smith family, along with a huge gathering of teammates, family and friends took part in the Light the Night walk for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society as a part of Team Elijah. To read the whole article, click here. I think Hines Ward said it best: "We are a close knit group. Elijah has 52 uncles on the team. He is one of ours. When one family is affected and having to go through something like this then we are all affected." To see photos of Heath and his family from the event, click here. You can visit Steelers.com to view all the pictures from the great event! Once you click the link, then click on "Off the Field" and then on 2009 Light the Night Walk. October 2, 2009 Steelers think pink for breast cancer awareness
From Teresa Varley, Steelers.com: The Steelers will be taking part in an array of activities for breast cancer awareness month in October, including honoring survivors and raising awareness during their game against the San Diego Chargers at Heinz Field on Sunday. Pink towels will be handed out to all fans in attendance and players and coaches will wear pink Reebok caps on the sidelines. Coaches will also wear pink ribbon pins, while select players will be sporting pink cleats, gloves and wristbands, which will later be auctioned off for breast cancer charities through the NFL. A specially designed pink coin will be used for the coin toss and kickoff ball with a pink ribbon will also be used, with both items also auctioned. There will be other pink ribbon elements, including pink goal post padding, Gatorade towels on the sideline and pink ribbons on helmets. Members of the ZTA Sorority will hand out awareness cards and pink ribbons on Art Rooney Avenue prior to the game. The team will also be selling Steelers pink ribbon apparel and jewelry to benefit breast cancer research. Max Starks and his mother will take part in Hot Pink Pittsburgh on Oct. 13 and tight end Heath Miller and his wife Katie will host Bid For Hope, which benefits the Glimmer of Hope's breast cancer research efforts, on Oct. 19. For information on Bid for Hope, please click on the link underneath Snapshots on the right side of this page. To purchase specially designed Steelers pink ribbon merchandise, click on the Steelers.com link at the start of the article above. September 29, 2009 Steelers lose in last seconds of game
Steelers 20, Bengals 23 Cincinnati beat its rival on its home turf after eight consecutive losses since the opening of Paul Brown Stadium at the turn of the century. The Steelers started out strong, outgaining the Bengals 152 to minus-10 in the first period, but were outgained, 283-221, from that point and, 139-19, in the fourth quarter. The Steelers drove to the 1-yard line on their first possession and settled for a 19-yard Jeff Reed field goal. The lead reached 10-0 on a 27-yard Ben Roethlisberger pass to Willie Parker, and then 13-0 on a 24-yard field goal from Reed. At that point, the Steelers had held the Bengals to minus 10 yards of total offense, but the Bengals began to rally on their final drive of the half when Shayne Graham kicked a 34-yard field goal. The Bengals cut the lead to 13-9 early in the third quarter when Johnathan Joseph intercepted Roethlisberger and returned it 30 yards for a touchdown. The snap sailed over the holder’s head on the extra-point attempt. The Steelers pushed the lead back to 20-9 when Roethlisberger sneaked 1-yard for a touchdown. But, the Bengals found ways to keep themselves in the game. Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer cinched the win when he connected with Andre Caldwell for a touchdown with seconds remaining in the game. Miller's contribution: Heath had five receptions for twenty yards. With one reception, he was sandwiched and hit hard by two Bengals defenders, but got right back up into the huddle. Miller also had several big blocks during the game. Kudos: Congratulations to Hines Ward. He became the first Steelers receiver to catch 10,000 yards worth of passes. I will get game photos posted soon. I was able to attend the game and had amazing seats on the 50-yard line behind the Steelers bench, so I will post those pictures later...but advance warning-amazing seats do not equal amazing photos...especially when I am the photographer! September 22, 2009 Miller reaches 2,000 receiving mark
Going into the Bears game, Heath needed just four receiving yards to reach 2,000 for his career. He ended the game with twenty-seven receiving yards, he is at 2,023 receiving yards. Miller is only the fifth tight end in team history to accomplish the feat and the first since Eric Green (1994). Congratulations to #83! Heath's teammates speak highly of him: 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. Heath on the runway: Steelers tight end Heath Miller and cornerback Ike Taylor were named co-captains of the 2009 Steelers Style Fashion Show, scheduled for 6 p.m. on Thursday, October 8 at Heinz Field. Miller and Taylor will lead their teammates and their families as they showcase the latest styles during the team’s largest charitable event which benefits The Thomas E. Starzl Transplantation Institute at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and The Cancer Caring Center. "Knowing that we are helping such worthwhile charities is motivation enough to get involved," said Miller. "It is also a great way to create fun memories as a group with your teammates, their families and our fans." For more information, and to purchase tickets to the event, click here. September 20, 2009 Bears hand Steelers first loss of season
Steelers 14, Bears 17 No late game heroics by the Steelers offense this week. From Ed Bouchette: Robbie Gould kicked a -yard field goal to win it for Chicago (1-1). His kick came moments after Jeff Reed missed his second field goal attempt of the fourth quarter. Reed, one of the best kickers in the league, missed twice in the fourth quarter, from 38 and 43 yards. The last one came with 3:18 to go and the game tied. The Bears tied the Steelers 14-14 with 6:21 left in the game, starting their 72-yard drive after Jeff Reed missed a 38-yard field goal. Reed seemed to slip on the new sod that was installed in the middle of the week, and the surface did not improve during a intermittent downpour. The attempt sailed wide left. Chicago took advantage right away and scored on Jay Cutler's seven-yard pass to rookie wide receiver Johnny Knox, who beat Tyrone Carter on a slant on third down. The Steelers failed to hold a 14-7 lead they took into the fourth quarter after scoring on Ben Roethlisberger's two-yard bootleg around left end with 5:26 left in the third. He leaped over safety Danieal Manning at the goalline and landed on his shoulders, but bounced back up. That score broke a 14-7 tie and also may have been the ceremonial beginning to Rashard Mendenhall's career. He ran 39 yards around right end to the Chicago two that set up the go-ahead touchdown. To read more, click here. Miller had three receptions for twenty-seven yards. September 17, 2009 One of the best in the game
In an interview with Jim Wexell, Ben Roethlisberger discusses Heath Miller: "I've said this a thousand times: 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." Roethlisberger went on to say: "He plays ball. 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. It's just easy to throw to a guy when you don't have to concentrate on putting it right here (small chest area). When you're scrambling and you find him, he's always looking for the ball and it's comforting.' Event reminder: The Glimmer of Hope Foundation has announced the date for their annual Bid for Hope event. The event will be held on October 19, 2009 at Bossa Nova. It will once again be hosted by Heath and Katie Miller. Bob Pompeani, of KDKA, will be the special emcee for the evening. The event usually includes several of Heath's teammates also. Last year Brett Keisel, Hines Ward, Ben Roethlisberger, Max Starks, Marvel Smith and Charlie Batch were just a few of his teammates who attended the event to support breast cancer research. Tickets are $200.00, and you get an autographed white panel football in an amazing gift bag. Heath and his teammates are on hand for autographs, and last year there was a silent and live auction filled with Steelers memorabilia and other amazing items. Remember, all of the money raised goes directly to breast cancer research! So, you are not only guaranteed to have a fun-filled evening, but you are helping to support a wonderful cause! Click here for more information, and to purchase tickets. About A Glimmer of Hope A Glimmer of Hope is a Pennsylvania non-profit organization that has been supporting breast cancer research since 1994 and has raised over $900,000 to further fund the largest pre-menopausal breast cancer study in the United States. Bid for Hope 2008 raised over $125,000. Let's help to top that number at the 2009 event. Cant't make the event, but you still want to support the cause? Click here to make a donation to A Glimmer of Hope. Be sure to also take time to go through their website to find out about the Foundation, and the great strides they are making to fund research to cure breast cancer. September 16, 2009 Which Tight End leads NFL in receptions?If you guessed Heath Miller you are right! Miller's eight receptions led all NFL tight ends after week one. Heath was also number six among all positions in NFL receptions. Way to go #83! Of course, Heath was as humble as ever when he spoke with Scott Brown, Tribune-Review, telling Brown he doesn't want them (receptions) to come at the expense of the running game. "It's nice to be able to contribute, but at the same time, we know we're a better offense if some of those pass attempts are hand-offs to Willie (Parker) or Rashard (Mendenhall). We've really to get on track this week." Miller went on to say: "We're going to go with what's working, but we'd really like to get that running game going. You're not going to go through a year and win football games if you can't run the football." Photos: Click here for game photos from last week. September 10, 2009 Steelers kickoff the season with an OT win
Steelers 13, Titans 10 From Scott Brown, Tribune-Review: The city of Pittsburgh held a party Thursday with the defending Super Bowl champions as the featured guests. And the Steelers weren't about to let the Tennessee Titans crash it. Playing in front of a record, towel-waving crowd at Heinz Field as well as a national TV audience, the Steelers overcame a physical Titans team and their own offensive shortcomings. A 13-10 overtime victory stretched the Steelers' season-opener winning streak to seven games and got them off to an auspicious if not exactly rousing start in front of 65,110. The Steelers never could find a rhythm offensively, and they had to rely on their defense to beat a team they had lost to in three of their previous four meetings. The Steelers made it difficult as wide receiver Hines Ward lost a fumble inside the Titans' 5-yard line when they were poised to win the game at the end of regulation. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, however, engineered a drive on the first possession of overtime that set up Jeff Reed's 33-yard field goal with 10 minutes, 28 seconds left in the extra quarter. Roethlisberger passed for 363 yards and a touchdown. Santonio Holmes and Ward each had over 100 yards receiving, and rookie Mike Wallace's 22-yard reception set up Reed's game-winning field goal. The victory did not come without a cost. All-Pro safety Troy Polamalu, who made a spectacular, one-armed interception, left the game in the second quarter with a knee injury. He did not return, though his left knee will get some extra time to get healthy since the Steelers don't play until Sept. 20 when they visit the Chicago Bears. It's Miller Time: Heath had eight receptions for a total of sixty-four yards. He also had some amazing blocks! Photos: Click here for game photos. I will add more as I find them. August 30, 2009 Steelers shutout BillsSteelers 17, Bills 0 From Teresa Varley, Steelers.com: The Steelers improved their preseason record to 2-1, defeating the Buffalo Bills 17-0 at Heinz Field. The starters played the first half and looked sharp on both sides of the ball. Ben Roethlisberger completed 15 of 19 passes for 168 yards. Hines Ward was his main go-to guy, pulling in five receptions for 74 yards. Rashard Mendenhall had 16 carries for 48 yards and scored on a four-yard run. Miller had two receptions for 26 yards. He also had some great blocks! He played just the first half of the game. To read the entire article, click here. If I find any photos of Miller from the game, I will post them. August 26, 2009 Icing on the cakeWhy hasn't Heath been selected for the Pro Bowl? I know his fans wonder why, and his own teammates feel he deserves to be selected, so why hasn't it happened? Ed Bouchette, Post Gazette, wrote: Statistics, not necessarily performance, have held him back. Miller's receiving numbers might not get much better than his 48 and 47 catches in the past two seasons. The Steelers never have thrown toward their tight ends as often as some other NFL teams -- Eric Green caught a team-record for the position with 63 in 1993 -- and that's not about to change. Miller might be the rare tight end in the league who is counted on to block and catch but Pro Bowl voters do not seem to take that into account. They want to see numbers, and NFL statisticians have not yet quantified run-blocking and pass protection. How does Heath feel about the Pro Bowl? "You can say that, yeah, that's just kind of what the voting is based on," Miller said. "I just try to focus on helping this team and being the best player I can." "When I sit down at the start of every year, it's not really on my mind. Obviously, if that happens it would be icing on the cake but more Super Bowl rings would be much better." What can fans do to help Heath get to the Pro Bowl? Well, if the voting rules stay the same as in previous years, fan voting counts for one-third of the selection. So, when the Pro Bowl voting begins I will post the link here and we all need to VOTE, VOTE, VOTE! You can vote as many times as you like, so let's help send #83 to his first Pro Bowl! August 23, 2009 Injuries don't slow first-team offense
Steelers, 13, Redskins 17 The Steelers were defeated by the Redskins last night. Ben Roethlisberger did not play, due to an injury that happened on the last day of training camp. Even though the team lost, the first team offense had some good plays. From John Harris, Tribune-Review: The Steelers' first-team offense wasn't expected to play beyond the first quarter Saturday night against the Washington Redskins at FedEx Field. As it turned out, one quarter was more than enough. Although the first-team defense yielded its first points of the preseason — a 20-yard field goal on the Redskins' opening drive — the real story of the opening half was the solid performance of the first-team offense. About that first-team offense, which didn't score against Arizona in the preseason opener, but jump-started the Steelers to a 10-3 halftime lead last night. It was an offense missing two starters with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (foot) and left guard Chris Kemoeatu (ribs) sidelined. The second time the Steelers had the ball, Willie Parker ran to the right on first down for seven yards. More on the right side of the line later. Faced with a little adversity, the offense overcame backup quarterback Charlie Batch's intentional grounding penalty to convert a big 3rd-and-13 pass to Santonio Holmes for 16 yards. To read the entire article, click here. Miller had one reception for ten yards, along with several key blocks. Photos: To see game photos, click here. I will add more as I find them. To see training camp photos, click here. August 14, 2009 Steelers defeat Cardinals
Steelers 20, Cardinals 10 The Steelers started the 2009 preseason with a 20-10 victory over the Arizona Cardinals at Heinz Field, with most of the scoring coming from the team’s reserves. The starters didn't see a lot of action as they played just two series, with Ben Roethlisberger completing four of six passes for 33 yards. Tight end Heath Miller had a three-yard reception and Mendenhall came back with a four-yard carry to set up a third-and-three. Roethlisberger wasn’t able to connect with Santonio Holmes and the Steelers were forced to punt. Punter Dan Sepulveda saw his first game action in over a year, after being placed on injured reserve last year during training camp. Sepulveda was met with cheers when his 46-yard punt was fair caught at the 15-yard line. In the first half, Jeff Reed was the first to get points on the board for the Steelers with a 50-yard field goal. A 29-yard field goal from Arizona's Neil Rackers tied the score at the end of the second quarter. Neither team scored in the third quarter, but the Steelers picked up steam in the fourth quarter when Isaac Redman had a three-yard touchdown. Redman scored again with a 5-yard touchdown run. Arizona responded with a 20-yard touchdown pass from Tyler Palko to Onrea Jones. Piotr Czech had a 44-yard field goal for the Steelers with less than two minutes on the clock. From Coach Tomlin: "For the most part," concluded Tomlin, "like I characterized to the team at the beginning of this, I thought it was an acceptable beginning for us and something we can build upon and use to move forward." A win to be used as a teach tool with no serious injuries. That's the definition of a successful preseason opener. The Steelers next preseason game is against the Redskins on August 22nd. Photos: To view photos from preseason games and training camp, click here. August 11, 2009 Miller's value goes beyond stats
From Pat Mitsch, Tribune-Review: Ask Steelers tight end Heath Miller what his on-the-field strengths are, and the soft-but well-spoken - 26-year old won't single out anything specific. Leave it to his quarterback to brag about him, then. "He is one of the best, if not the best. all-around tight ends in the game," said quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. "It's fun," he said. "I think it's fun to be a tight end in this offense. Coach Arians asks us to do a lot of different things, and it's fun to do those things, whether it's being able to be a big part of the passing game, be in motion a lot, be in the backfield some. It's fun to do all those things." That includes blocking, and Miller is becoming especially good with his technique. Roethlisberger said anybody who goes against Miller would say just how good he is, and Steelers linebacker James Harrison lauded Miller for his hand placement. To read more about how Heath feels about his role with the Steelers, click here. Photos: Click here for photos from training camp. There are several pages of pictures. I also included some photos that my friend Misty sent me. She attended training camp Saturday and was nice enough to send photos of Heath. Fan photos of Mr. Miller are always welcome and appreciated. But, please only if they are in a public setting where he is willing to be photographed. I will not post any pictures where it is obvious his privacy (and that of his family and friends) was intruded upon. I appreciate your understanding. Fan photos can be emailed to me-the email address is under the CONTACT heading at the top of this page. September 10, 2009 Steelers kickoff the season with an OT win
Steelers 13, Titans 10 From Scott Brown, Tribune-Review: The city of Pittsburgh held a party Thursday with the defending Super Bowl champions as the featured guests. And the Steelers weren't about to let the Tennessee Titans crash it. Playing in front of a record, towel-waving crowd at Heinz Field as well as a national TV audience, the Steelers overcame a physical Titans team and their own offensive shortcomings. A 13-10 overtime victory stretched the Steelers' season-opener winning streak to seven games and got them off to an auspicious if not exactly rousing start in front of 65,110. The Steelers never could find a rhythm offensively, and they had to rely on their defense to beat a team they had lost to in three of their previous four meetings. The Steelers made it difficult as wide receiver Hines Ward lost a fumble inside the Titans' 5-yard line when they were poised to win the game at the end of regulation. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, however, engineered a drive on the first possession of overtime that set up Jeff Reed's 33-yard field goal with 10 minutes, 28 seconds left in the extra quarter. Roethlisberger passed for 363 yards and a touchdown. Santonio Holmes and Ward each had over 100 yards receiving, and rookie Mike Wallace's 22-yard reception set up Reed's game-winning field goal. The victory did not come without a cost. All-Pro safety Troy Polamalu, who made a spectacular, one-armed interception, left the game in the second quarter with a knee injury. He did not return, though his left knee will get some extra time to get healthy since the Steelers don't play until Sept. 20 when they visit the Chicago Bears. It's Miller Time: Heath had eight receptions for a total of sixty-four yards. He also had some amazing blocks! Photos: Click here for game photos. I will add more as I find them. August 30, 2009 Steelers shutout BillsSteelers 17, Bills 0 From Teresa Varley, Steelers.com: The Steelers improved their preseason record to 2-1, defeating the Buffalo Bills 17-0 at Heinz Field. The starters played the first half and looked sharp on both sides of the ball. Ben Roethlisberger completed 15 of 19 passes for 168 yards. Hines Ward was his main go-to guy, pulling in five receptions for 74 yards. Rashard Mendenhall had 16 carries for 48 yards and scored on a four-yard run. Miller had two receptions for 26 yards. He also had some great blocks! He played just the first half of the game. To read the entire article, click here. If I find any photos of Miller from the game, I will post them. August 26, 2009 Icing on the cakeWhy hasn't Heath been selected for the Pro Bowl? I know his fans wonder why, and his own teammates feel he deserves to be selected, so why hasn't it happened? Ed Bouchette, Post Gazette, wrote: Statistics, not necessarily performance, have held him back. Miller's receiving numbers might not get much better than his 48 and 47 catches in the past two seasons. The Steelers never have thrown toward their tight ends as often as some other NFL teams -- Eric Green caught a team-record for the position with 63 in 1993 -- and that's not about to change. Miller might be the rare tight end in the league who is counted on to block and catch but Pro Bowl voters do not seem to take that into account. They want to see numbers, and NFL statisticians have not yet quantified run-blocking and pass protection. How does Heath feel about the Pro Bowl? "You can say that, yeah, that's just kind of what the voting is based on," Miller said. "I just try to focus on helping this team and being the best player I can." "When I sit down at the start of every year, it's not really on my mind. Obviously, if that happens it would be icing on the cake but more Super Bowl rings would be much better." What can fans do to help Heath get to the Pro Bowl? Well, if the voting rules stay the same as in previous years, fan voting counts for one-third of the selection. So, when the Pro Bowl voting begins I will post the link here and we all need to VOTE, VOTE, VOTE! You can vote as many times as you like, so let's help send #83 to his first Pro Bowl! August 23, 2009 Injuries don't slow first-team offense
Steelers, 13, Redskins 17 The Steelers were defeated by the Redskins last night. Ben Roethlisberger did not play, due to an injury that happened on the last day of training camp. Even though the team lost, the first team offense had some good plays. From John Harris, Tribune-Review: The Steelers' first-team offense wasn't expected to play beyond the first quarter Saturday night against the Washington Redskins at FedEx Field. As it turned out, one quarter was more than enough. Although the first-team defense yielded its first points of the preseason — a 20-yard field goal on the Redskins' opening drive — the real story of the opening half was the solid performance of the first-team offense. About that first-team offense, which didn't score against Arizona in the preseason opener, but jump-started the Steelers to a 10-3 halftime lead last night. It was an offense missing two starters with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (foot) and left guard Chris Kemoeatu (ribs) sidelined. The second time the Steelers had the ball, Willie Parker ran to the right on first down for seven yards. More on the right side of the line later. Faced with a little adversity, the offense overcame backup quarterback Charlie Batch's intentional grounding penalty to convert a big 3rd-and-13 pass to Santonio Holmes for 16 yards. To read the entire article, click here. Miller had one reception for ten yards, along with several key blocks. Photos: To see game photos, click here. I will add more as I find them. To see training camp photos, click here. August 14, 2009 Steelers defeat Cardinals
Steelers 20, Cardinals 10 The Steelers started the 2009 preseason with a 20-10 victory over the Arizona Cardinals at Heinz Field, with most of the scoring coming from the team’s reserves. The starters didn't see a lot of action as they played just two series, with Ben Roethlisberger completing four of six passes for 33 yards. Tight end Heath Miller had a three-yard reception and Mendenhall came back with a four-yard carry to set up a third-and-three. Roethlisberger wasn’t able to connect with Santonio Holmes and the Steelers were forced to punt. Punter Dan Sepulveda saw his first game action in over a year, after being placed on injured reserve last year during training camp. Sepulveda was met with cheers when his 46-yard punt was fair caught at the 15-yard line. In the first half, Jeff Reed was the first to get points on the board for the Steelers with a 50-yard field goal. A 29-yard field goal from Arizona's Neil Rackers tied the score at the end of the second quarter. Neither team scored in the third quarter, but the Steelers picked up steam in the fourth quarter when Isaac Redman had a three-yard touchdown. Redman scored again with a 5-yard touchdown run. Arizona responded with a 20-yard touchdown pass from Tyler Palko to Onrea Jones. Piotr Czech had a 44-yard field goal for the Steelers with less than two minutes on the clock. From Coach Tomlin: "For the most part," concluded Tomlin, "like I characterized to the team at the beginning of this, I thought it was an acceptable beginning for us and something we can build upon and use to move forward." A win to be used as a teach tool with no serious injuries. That's the definition of a successful preseason opener. The Steelers next preseason game is against the Redskins on August 22nd. Photos: To view photos from preseason games and training camp, click here. August 11, 2009 Miller's value goes beyond stats
From Pat Mitsch, Tribune-Review: Ask Steelers tight end Heath Miller what his on-the-field strengths are, and the soft-but well-spoken - 26-year old won't single out anything specific. Leave it to his quarterback to brag about him, then. "He is one of the best, if not the best. all-around tight ends in the game," said quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. "It's fun," he said. "I think it's fun to be a tight end in this offense. Coach Arians asks us to do a lot of different things, and it's fun to do those things, whether it's being able to be a big part of the passing game, be in motion a lot, be in the backfield some. It's fun to do all those things." That includes blocking, and Miller is becoming especially good with his technique. Roethlisberger said anybody who goes against Miller would say just how good he is, and Steelers linebacker James Harrison lauded Miller for his hand placement. To read more about how Heath feels about his role with the Steelers, click here. Photos: Click here for photos from training camp. There are several pages of pictures. I also included some photos that my friend Misty sent me. She attended training camp Saturday and was nice enough to send photos of Heath. Fan photos of Mr. Miller are always welcome and appreciated. But, please only if they are in a public setting where he is willing to be photographed. I will not post any pictures where it is obvious his privacy (and that of his family and friends) was intruded upon. I appreciate your understanding. Fan photos can be emailed to me-the email address is under the CONTACT heading at the top of this page. August 9, 2009 Miller is backFrom Ed Bouchette, Post-Gazette: First came the surgery, then the new contract, then the start of training camp, and yesterday tight end Heath Miller cleared another hurdle. He practiced. Miller, who had hernia surgery in June, eased into training camp over the past week, gradually increasing his work load. Yesterday, he leaped into the full practice, working with the first offense in the full team practices. He said things went well. "It felt good. It's good to be back out. I'm a little rusty, but health-wise, I feel really good." Provided there are no setbacks, he should be ready to play Thursday when the Steelers open the preseason against Arizona at Heinz Field. "Heath is a full participant at this point, which is, of course, good for us," coach Mike Tomlin said. Photos: Click here for photos from training camp. August 6, 2009 Hearing from Heath
Heath sat down with the guys from WDVE to talk about his new contract, and the upcoming season. He also talks about Mike Wallace's speed, which is someone it seems everyone is excited to see. To listen to his interview, click here. Then scroll down the page to find Heath's interview. There are also several interviews with his teammates. From sports reporter Dale Lolley: Tight end Heath Miller still isn't doing any team work, but he's been working in non-contact drills and making whoever is attempting to cover him look silly. Miller's catching everything thrown his way and even burned veteran James Farrior with a beautiful head fake and move down the seam during a linebackers on tight ends and backs passing drill. August 5, 2009 Heath may return soon"I thought Heath took a step this afternoon, in terms of participation," Tomlin said (after Tuesday's practice). He has increased his participation each day in practice. Heath is not able to fully participate yet, but he stated he hopes to be able to go through a full practice by this weekend The team has no morning practice Thursday, but will practice Thursday afternoon as usual. August 3, 2009 New photos added
I added a few new photos of Heath at camp. Since he is still limited at practice, there are not too many pictures yet. To see the photos, click here. Heath discusses his injury and the team... ...To read the article, click here. August 2, 2009 Miller happy to help teamFrom Eric Knopsnyder, of The Tribune-Democrat: Heath Miller's new contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers did not come with any demands for Ben Roethlisberger to throw his way more often. Despite being arguably one of the NFL's top tight ends, Miller only had 48 receptions last year. While that was a career high, it was only half as many passes as Tony Gonzalez – the NFL's top receiving tight end – had. Miller, who is in his fifth year with the Steelers, is fine doing whatever he can for the defending Super Bowl champions. "I think I get a good amount of opportunities here," he said Friday after reporting to training camp at St. Vincent College in Latrobe. “I try to be the best that I can be at whatever job they ask me to do. If I'm asked to do that job, I'll work as hard as I can to be as good as I can be at it." "I feel very fortunate to have been drafted here," Miller said after thanking the Rooney family and coach Mike Tomlin, among others, for making the deal happen. "I think it's the best organization in sports. I'm lucky to be here for a few more years." To read the entire article, click here. Heath has been limited so far in camp, since he is recovering from surgery. But, he was able to participate Saturday in some route drills. Also: Be sure to read what Ben Roethlisberger had to say about Heath's new contract. It's under Miller Chatter on the right side of this page. July 31, 2009-see update Miller holds press conference
Miller says the Steelers are "the best organization in all of sports." Heath participated in a press conference today from training camp. He talked about his new 6-year contract and it is quite apparent that he is happy to remain a member of the Steelers! UPDATE: Click here to see Heath's press conference. He is on after Ziggy Hood. Photos: Click here for photos from Heath's press conference. From The Post Gazette: Steelers coach Mike Tomlin today revealed that tight end Heath Miller, who signed a six-year, $35.3 million contract this week, had surgery in June to repair a sports hernia and will be limited in practice at training camp for a while. Tomlin, though, said the team is merely being cautious with Miller and he expects him to be fine for the regular season. Miller had surgery to repair a sports hernia after his senior season at Virginia and before the Steelers drafted him in the first round in 2005. Tomlin did say that Heath was able to participate in the run test today at camp. Heath's new contract: The Steelers came to a contract extension with tight end Heath Miller July 29th that will pay him $35.3 million over the next six seasons. Miller had one year left on the five-year contract he signed as a rookie, when he was their first-round draft choice in 2005. The contract includes a $12.5 million signing bonus. Miller caught 48 passes for 514 yards and three touchdowns in the 2008 regular season and added 11 receptions for 156 yards and another score in the Steelers' march to victory in Super Bowl XLIII. Miller is considered one of the more valuable players at his position with his added ability to contribute in the blocking game. Even still, he set career highs in 2007 with 566 receiving yards and seven touchdowns on 47 receptions over a full 16-game season. The 6-5, 256-pounder has also shown an ability to step up in big-game situations with 26 catches for 348 yards and three TDs in eight playoff games. July 29, 2009 It's official: Miller signs new deal
It's a great day for Steelers Nation! According to Steelers.com, Heath signed a 6-year contract with the Steelers. To read more, click here. I will add more on the contract as it becomes available. Congratulations to Heath! Also: Heath and his teammates report to training camp on July 31st and practices will start on August 1. July 20, 2009 Save the date...
The Glimmer of Hope Foundation has announced the date for their annual Bid for Hope event. The event will be held on October 19, 2009 at Bossa Nova. It will once again be hosted by Heath and Katie Miller. Bob Pompeani, of KDKA, will be the special emcee for the evening. The event usually includes several of Heath's teammates also. Last year Brett Keisel, Hines Ward, Ben Roethlisberger, Max Starks, Marvel Smith and Charlie Batch were just a fews of his teammates who attended the event to support breast cancer research. Tickets are $200.00, and you get an autographed white panel football in an amazing gift bag. Heath and his teammates are on hand for autographs, and last year there was a silent and live auction filled with Steelers memorabilia and other amazing items. Remember, all of the money raised goes directly to breast cancer research! So, you are not only guaranteed to have a fun-filled evening, but you are helping to support a wonderful cause! Click here for more information, and to purchase tickets. About A Glimmer of Hope A Glimmer of Hope is a Pennsylvania non-profit organization that has been supporting breast cancer research since 1994 and has raised over $900,000 to further fund the largest pre-menopausal breast cancer study in the United States. Bid for Hope 2008 raised over $125,000. Let's help to top that number at the 2009 event. Cant't make the event, but you still want to support the cause? Click here to make a donation to A Glimmer of Hope. Be sure to also take time to go through their website to find out about the Foundation, and the great strides they are making to fund research to cure breast cancer. To see photos of Heath at previous Bid for Hope events, click here. To see photos of Brett Keisel at the event, click here. To see photos of Ben Roethlisberger at the event, click here. July 16, 2009 And the ESPY goes to...
The Pittsburgh Steelers for "Best Game" (Superbowl XLIII)... and to Ben Roethlisberger and Santonio Holmes for "Best Play" (for the game-winning touchdown reception between Ben and Santonio Holmes in Superbowl XLIII)! Congratulations to the team, and thanks to Steeler Nation for their votes. To see some photos from the ESPY's (which will air on Sunday, July 19th at 9:00 p.m. on ESPN), click here. July 14, 2009 Steelers give back with football clinicTo see a couple photos of Heath at the clinic, click here. From Teresa Varley, of Steelers.com: : Steelers players are known for reaching out to the community and many did so when they attended the Urban Impact Foundation Football Clinic at Oliver High School on Pittsburgh's North Side. Players ran drills for kids who otherwise would not have the opportunity to attend a football camp or get any kind of tips form a professional football player. "These kids get forgotten," said defensive end Travis Kirschke, who helps to recruit his teammates for the event. "They don't have the money to have after school activities. It's not just sports, they have other programs. They have choir, art programs. I think it's important that those kids have what everybody else has. We just try to give them the opportunity. "I think its fun to go into their community and be a part of them. Hanging out with the kids is fun in general." The football clinic also serves another community purpose, which is to make the kids and their families aware of social services that are available to them. But the main goal is to give the kids an opportunity they never would have otherwise. "It's always fun to be a part of the community and bring smiles to people's faces" said tight end Heath Miller. "Hopefully they look forward to it every year because I know me and my teammates do." About Urban Impact Foundation: Urban Impact was created in 1995 to foster Christian community development on Pittsburgh’s North Side. The focus is to help at-risk youth, children, and their families to grow academically, spiritually, physically, and socially. July 7, 2009 More photos and news from Mini Golf ClassicFrom Teresa Varley, of Steelers.com: Tight end Heath Miller hosted the Annual Mini-Golf Classic to benefit the Salvation Army and Project Bundle-Up. The classic, which was held at Robert Morris University's Sports Center on Neville Island included a dinner and round of miniature golf for sponsors. "It's a lot of fun," said Miller, who admitted that his miniature golf game was kind of bad. "Everybody is out to have a good time. Nobody cares how they play. They are just there to have fun. At the same time it's for a really great cause. That is the main part about it." Project Bundle-Up is a Salvation Army program that provides winter outerwear for needy children in Southwestern Pennsylvania and was founded by Patricia Rooney, wife of Steelers chairman Dan Rooney, and Joe DeNardo, retired WTAE-TV weatherman. The Mini-Golf Classic has raised $127,000 since it's inception and that money is used to fund shopping nights for those in need, including when Steelers players have the opportunity to take kids shopping for winter outerwear.
"It helps when you are able to see where the money is going that you are working to raise," said Miller. "It makes it more gratifying. You know it's going to come into the hands of people that need it and it makes you feel that much better." To see photos from the event, click here.
July 1, 2009 Heath picks "Candy for the Cure" Winner
Heath made an appearance at Ross Park Mall yesterday to draw the winning names for Candy for the Cure. The event was sponsored by A Glimmer of Hope Foundation. A Glimmer of Hope Foundation is presently funding the largest under forty breast cancer research study in the country at Magee-Womens Research Institute. To find out who won the great prizes, click here. Miller signed autographs after the drawing for fans in attendance, and there was also a silent auction for Steelers and Penguins memorabilia. I added a few photos from the event to the photo gallery. Click here to see them. To see more pictures from Heath's appearance, click here. A Glimmer of Hope will be holding another contest in the future. If it involves Heath, I will post the information here, so check back! June 30, 2009 RemindersESPY voting is underway so be sure to cast your votes. In addition to the nominations listed in the June 26th news, the Steelers are also up for Best Play (Ben Roethlisberger's pass to Santonio Holmes during SB XLIII) and Best Game (SB XLIII). Click here to cast your vote. Also... The drawing for Candy for the Cure is tomorrow! So, I hope one of us receives a call or email saying we are winners! News about the event is in the May 13th news. June 26, 2009 ESPY nominations announced
The ESPY nominations are out, and the Steelers are nominated for Best Team! Also, Mike Tomlin is nominated for Best Coach, and James Harrison for Best NFL Player. The awards show will air July 19 at 9:00 p.m. on ESPN. Your vote counts! Voting begins today, and ends on July 12. Click here to cast your vote. June 17, 2009 News and NotesTraining Camp '09: The Steelers report to training camp on July 31st. Practices will begin on August 1st. It will be held at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, PA. For the complete schedule, and more information on training camp, click here. Steelers individual game tickets: A limited number of individual game tickets for the Steelers 2009 home games are available through Ticketmaster beginning on Saturday, June 20, at 10:00 a.m. This marks the third consecutive season fans will be able to purchase tickets through Ticketmaster. For more information on purchasing the tickets, click here. Congratulations... ...To the Penguins on winning the Stanley Cup Championship...and to Ben Roethlisberger on his victory at the US Open Challenge! To read about Ben's US Open Challenge event, and to see photos, click here. The city of Pittsburgh (and fans from all over the world) have certainly had reason to celebrate this year! June 10, 2009 Miller lends hand for Habitat for Humanity
Heath and several teammates worked with Habitat for Humanity on June 8th to help build a house for Debbie Miller and her family. Miller is the recipient of the “Champions House,” presented by Habitat for Humanity to a qualified family in the Super Bowl winning city. Miller and her grandsons will soon move into a home in the Westwood section of Pittsburgh, a home that is being built from the ground up by volunteers. Miller was taken by surprise on Monday when she was working on the house and 14 members of the Super Bowl Champion Steelers showed up to get things rolling. The players, along with assistant head coach John Mitchell, put up the exterior walls of the house and began work on interior walls, as well as handling some painting duties. To read Teresa Varley's entire article on Steelers.com, click here. To watch a video, click here. And, to see photos from the event, click here.
This is just another example of the wonderful things the Steelers do on their OWN time. Superbowl XLIII ring time! The team received their Superbowl rings today. For pictures of the rings, and information on them, click here. OTA's: The last round of OTA's are this week. The team will then have a break until they report to training camp on July 31st. I will post information on training camp, and on purchasing individual game tickets soon. June 2, 2009 Miller hosts Mini Golf Classic
Heath hosted his annual Mini Golf Classic on June 1 to benefit Project Bundle Up. To view a short video of Miller at the event, click here. To see photos from the event, click here. I will add more if I find any. May 21, 2009 President Obama congratulates the Steelers
The Steelers organization headed to Washington D.C. today to meet with President Obama and to make care packages for our troops. Obama started off by saying: "Congratulations to the Superbowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers and to the fans of Steelers Nation who wave that Terrible Towel every Sunday!" Obama went on to say: "This is a new team for a new era and that's embodied by Coach Tomlin." The President discussed how the Steelers do great work on and off the field, and while they were at the White House they would be teaming up with the USO for Operation Care Package. They would be packing up 3,000 care packages for our troops. Ever the competitors, the Steeles were divided into three teams-defense, offense and special teams. They would race to see which team could pack the most packages. The footage stopped before I saw who won. The President also welcomed about 50 wounded warriors from Walter Reed Army Medical Center and National Naval Medical Center for the ceremony. In addition to the wounded warriors and the Steelers, President Obama is meeting with Pittsburgh Police Chief Nate Harper and four officers who were the first to respond to the April shooting in Stanton Heights that claimed the lives of three city police officers. To see a video of the visit, click here. To see pictures from the visit, click here.
I will add more if I find any. Also today... ...I received an email from David Eaton, Vice Mayor of Honaker, Virginia (Heath's hometown). He sent me a link to Honaker's website, which provides great information on the town. Take some time to browse their site by clicking here. They feature Heath, and this site, here. Their link can also be found on the Links page. You can click at the top of this page on Links to view various websites. May 15, 2009 Steelers heading to the White House
From Ed Bouchette, of the Post Gazette: The Steelers will visit the White House Thursday at the request of President Barack Obama. The traditional visit by the Super Bowl champions will take place at some point in the afternoon. The Steelers last visited the White House as Super Bowl champions in 2006, when George W. Bush was president. To see a larger version of the picture to the right, and a couple more from the 2006 visit, click here. I will post any pictures I find of the visit as they become available. Candy for the Cure: Read all about the promotion Heath is supporting in the May 13th news below! May 13, 2009 Candy for the Cure
Heath is once again working with A Glimmer of Hope Foundation. Heath and his wife hosted the Bid for Hope event last year for A Glimmer of Hope Foundation. Pictures can be seen in the Photo Gallery. Glimmer of Hope is pleased to announce the launching of Candy for the Cure. Candy for the Cure is a program developed by Glimmer of Hope to help raise funds for the nations largest under 40 breast cancer study in the country. Every dollar raised goes to support breast cancer research and the fight for a cure. For just $5.00, you purchase a delicious chocolate bar. Look for the unique entry code on the inside of the wrapper, and fill out the entry form that includes your unique entry code. Prizes include 4 VIP passes to the Steelers Training Camp, a SB XLIII item autographed by Heath Miller, and a Troy Polamalu signed and framed Pro Bowl jersey! Not only do you get a wonderfully delicious chocolate bar, and a chance to win amazing prizes, but you are also supporting a great cause! Remember, EVERY dollar raised goes to support breast cancer research! Ready to join in the cause?
Click here to purchase your candy. May 5, 2009 News and Notes
The Steelers held a mini camp this past weekend. Coach Tomlin said it was a productive camp, and they ended the weekend with no injuries. The team is off until May 19, when they will hold some voluntary workouts. Contract talk: James Walker from ESPN.com spoke to Heath during mini camp regarding his contract. Here is what James Walker wrote about the interview: He's not worried about entering the final year of his contract and won't let it distract his play this season. Miller said he's "hopeful" to remain a Steeler beyond 2009, whether a deal gets done before or after the season. To see a picture of Heath from camp, click here. April 24, 2009 Heath's draft day memories
"To play for an organization like this is a dream come true."-Heath Miller. Steelers.com asked some players what their feelings were on draft day, and how it felt to be selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers. Here is what Heath had to say: "There was a lot of anticipation because you knew in a matter of weeks that you would be somewhere in the country, but you don't know where and with what team. There are a lot of unresolved circumstances leading up to the draft. I had no clue to be honest with you where I would go. I tried to keep an open mind and tried not to get my heart set on one team to be picked by. I tried to just let things happen. You can't control it. I didn't realize the first round took that long. It took all day to get to pick number 30. Once I was drafted there were a whole bunch of emotions. It was a relief to know your questions had been answered. It was also excitement to be picked by Pittsburgh. If you are going to have a chance to be in the NFL- to play for an organization like this is a dream come true." April 22, 2009 Steelers' Miller also looking for new deal
From John Harris, Tribune-Review: Count tight end Heath Miller among the Steelers who want to play their entire NFL career in Pittsburgh. With Miller, though, his desire to finish what he started with the Steelers takes on more urgency, as he approaches his final season under contract with the team that selected him in the first round of the 2005 draft. Miller is one of several Steelers who could be entering next season wondering when - or if - they will re-sign before becoming free agents. "Obviously, I'd love to be a Steeler, and I'd love to spend my whole career here. But at the same time, I realize this is a business. You don't really know what's going to happen," Miller said Tuesday following the Steelers' final Organized Team Activity (OTA) of the week. Miller is represented by Tom Condon, who is considered one of the top player agents and has a reputation for delivering big contracts for his clients. The Steelers recently signed Pro Bowl linebacker James Harrison to a six-year, $51.175-million contract. Like Miller, Harrison also was entering the final year of his deal. Miller, 26, said he isn't aware of any Condon discussions with the Steelers on a new contract. "There's really no point in focusing on it, because when it comes down to it, none of us really has control over what's going to happen," Miller said. "I'm just focused on becoming a better player and getting ready for the upcoming season." Director of football operations Kevin Colbert said Monday the Steelers want to re-sign some of their players who will be entering their final year before the start of next season. However, Colbert also said the team is struggling to create room under the salary cap, as evidenced by the decision to release running back Gary Russell in order to sign quarterback Charlie Batch for the start of OTAs. Signing Miller, who established a career-high with 48 receptions in 2008, to a long-term contract is the best option for both sides. The Steelers also could designate Miller the franchise player after next season while working on a new deal. "We'll see what happens," Miller said. "I'll keep my fingers crossed, and we'll see what happens." Miller noted the large turnout of players attending the voluntary workouts as a sign the Steelers are committed to defending their Super Bowl title. "Every year, you set out to win the Super Bowl, and there's no better feeling when you accomplish that," he said. "The thing you cherish is the journey along the way and the memories you accumulate. "It feels good to get back in the swing of things, get your mind on the playbook and see some of the guys you haven't seen in a while," Miller said. "I think it speaks to the character of our team. We've got a lot of guys who like to work, who enjoy being around each other. I'm not sure how much that will help in the fall, but it definitely can't hurt." I will update with any contract news as it becomes available. Also: To view latest OTA, or other new photos, click on the Photos link at the top of this page, and then click on Last Uploads. April 20, 2009 It's time for OTA's
OTA's began today for the Steelers. The first organized team activity of the season took place today at the team's practice facility on the South Side. Miller, along with many other starters, participated in practice today. To see a larger version of the photo to the right, click here. The Steelers were also sized for their Superbowl XLIII rings. To see a photo of Heath during the ring sizing, click here. To read about the rings, click here. Also: If you have not visited Big Ben News recently, be sure to stop over there! Ben Roethlisberger's unofficial site has an amazing new look! April 13, 2009 2009 NFL schedule announcedThe NFL announced the 2009 schedules tonight. I have posted the Steelers schedule on the right side of this page under, Steelers Schedule. NFL.com's Vic Carucci listed the TOP 10 must- see games to watch this season. Two of the 10 games are with the Steelers. One is when they play the Ravens, and the second is when they play Tennessee. Click here to read his article. April 6, 2009 Spring workout schedule announced
Spring is upon us, and that means it's time for OTA's and mini-camp! From The Pittsburgh Post Gazette:
The Steelers will hold their first two of 14 organized team activities before the draft April 20 and 21, according to a list of their spring drills released yesterday. The OTAs, as they are called, are voluntary activities that include practices without pads. In addition to the 14 voluntary sessions, coach Mike Tomlin will hold a required minicamp the weekend of May 1-3. The remaining OTAs will take place May 19-21, May 26-28 and June 9-11. Preseason schedule finalized: The NFL has finalized preseason schedules, and the Steelers schedule is posted on the right side of this page, under Schedule.
March 26, 2009 New fan pictures
Heath attended the CSA Collector's Show on March 22, 2009. It was held in Chantilly, Virginia. Lucky for us, Wendy Curtin attended the show and sent a couple photos of Heath to share. Wendy said she was delighted to meet Heath at the show, and to get his autograph! Thank you Wendy for sharing the pictures with us! To read more about the CSA Collector's Show, click here. There were many Steelers on hand with Heath, and the Steelers accounted for the top six ticket sales for the day! To see a larger version of the photo to the right, and to see Wendy's other photo, click here. March 25, 2009 Heath's event raises $100,000 for breast cancer researchHeath and Katie Miller hosted Bid for Hope last year. The event raised funds for breast cancer research. Heath took over the event from Alan Faneca. From Teresa Varley's article, Lending a Helping Hand, on Steelers.com: Steelers tight end Heath Miller and former offensive guard Alan Faneca were on hand for a check presentation from A Glimmer of Hope to the Magee-Women's Research Institute & Foundation. The $100,000 check will be used to continue support of premenopausal breast cancer research, a study that is the passion of A Glimmer of Hope founder Diana Napper. Miller and his wife Katie and Faneca and his wife Julie were key components in helping to raise the funds through the annual Bid For Hope event. Faneca hosted the event while he played for the Steelers and are still involved. Miller took over and hosted the event that was held at Jerome Bettis Grille 36. Miller, who also has a family member affected by breast cancer, said his desire to help grew after the check presentation when he learned some of the research studies and that over 250,000 women under-40 are living with breast cancer. "Once you get involved and you see the statistics it makes you want to do more," said Miller. "You realize what a problem it is for our society and you want to do what you can to help out." That willingness to help out and get involved means everything to Dr. Paniti Sukumvanich, assistant professor of the department of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences at Magee-Women's Hospital and the one who is in charge of the study. "It shows they have such a commitment to their community and the fans out there," said Dr. Sukumvanich. "One person said and it's true, what they do on the field is sheer talent. But what they do off the field is what is really important. This is why this town loves them so much. They do so much more than play football. They help support the community." March 23, 2009 Heath presents check to Glimmer of Hope
Heath and his wife, Katie, along with the Faneca's presented a check to the Glimmer of Hope Foundation. Heath hosted the event, Bid for Hope, this past year which raised money to fight breast cancer. To read more about the event, click here. To see more photos of Heath at the check presentation, click here. Also: Steelers to play opening game of NFL season... ...Since the Steelers are the current Superbowl champions, they get to kick off the 2009 regular season games! It was announced today that the Steelers will play the Titans on Thursday, September 10, 2009 at Heinz Field. The game will air on NBC at 8:30 p.m. Pittsburgh and Tennessee were the top two seeds in the 2008 AFC playoffs. March 3, 2009 Before he was a Steeler...
...Long before Heath wore #83 for the Steelers, and #89 for the University of Virginia, he wore #11. This photo was sent to me by Jennifer Compton, who played Pee-Wee football with Heath in Virginia. Heath is #11 (in the back row), and Jennifer is #25 (second row on right). Thanks so much to Jennifer for sending me the photo to share! Click here to see a larger version of the photo. Keep checking back to check for any events I find that Heath will be attending. It is the offseason, so the players are taking some time off right now. February 18, 2009 Lombardi MomentsCheck out the new Snapshot photo of Heath in the Superbowl gallery. Miller getting his moment with the Lombardi! The Steelers are getting a well deserved break before conditioning begins for next season. I will post any Miller event or appearances I find, so check back! The Steelers official team Superbowl picture is on sale. Click here to order it. You can also order the Official Superbowl XLIII book. Click here to order the book. Photos: Check out the Photo Gallery (link at top of this page) to view tons of great photos of Heath! February 3, 2009 Superbowl XLIII Victory Parade
The Steelers were greeted by an estimated 350,000 to 400,000 cheering fans today in Pittsburgh. The city held a victory parade to celebrate the Superbowl win. "What do you say to this?" Tomlin asked the massive crowd. "Steeler Nation, you leave us all speechless, man, we just appreciate the love. How about the Steelers? How about the greatest fans in the world? How about number six? Thank you, we love you guys." Steelers' owner Dan Rooney thanked the city for its support over the years - and said there is more history to be made. "Stay with us," Rooney said. "Maybe we'll get the seventh next year." One by one, coaches and players spoke to the crowd. Miller's speech to the crowd: "I just wanna say thank you because you guys are without a doubt the best fans in the NFL. We all appreciate it. Thank you very much!" A huge black and gold banner hung in front of the City-County building, reading "Welcome to Steelers Country Super Bowl XLIII Champions." The City Council voted to symbolically change the city's name to Sixburgh for the day, as the Steelers are the first team to win six Super Bowls. To see photos of Heath at the parade, click here. To see the video of the parade, click here. February 1, 2009 Miller and Steelers win SB XLIII
Steelers 27, Cardinals 23 Heath Miller is 26 years old, and already has two Superbowl wins. He helped the Steelers make history tonight by earning a record six Superbowl wins. The Steelers have now won more Superbowls than any other team! The Pittsburgh Steelers pulled off what some deemed impossible this season. With the tough schedule they were assigned, with the "so-called" aging defense, and with numerous injuries..the Steelers not only made it to the Superbowl...they won it! The Steelers became the first team to win six Super Bowls. In the process, they denied the Arizona Cardinals a chance to become the most improbable of Super Bowl champions. And they did it in dramatic fashion. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger rallied the Steelers after they squandered a 13-point lead, and his late-game heroics produced a 27-23 win and one of the most memorable finishes in Super Bowl history. Roethlisberger led the Steelers on one of his patented fourth-quarter comebacks, and he capped a 78-yard drive with a 6-yard touchdown pass to Santonio Holmes with 35 seconds left in the game. Holmes made a spectacular catch amidst heavy traffic in the back-right corner of the end zone and managed to keep his toes in bounds. Holmes was awarded the game MVP. Last night's game at Raymond James Stadium produced many memorable moments and the longest play in Super bowl history. With the Steelers clinging to a 10-7 lead at the end of the first half, James Harrison picked off Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner and then made one of the best runs in Super Bowl history. He rumbled the length of the field, breaking several tackles along the way before crashing through two Cardinals into the end zone. His 100-yard touchdown allowed the Steelers to take a 10-point lead into the locker room. It also punctuated an entertaining first half. The Cardinals came back, and with 2:37 left in the game Warner gave Arizona its first lead when he threw a 64-yard touchdown pass to Fitzgerald. Roethlisberger completed four passes to Holmes on a drive that won't be soon forgotten, and a last-gasp push by Arizona ended when Warner fumbled after LaMarr Woodley sacked him. Keisel then recovered the fumble to seal the win for Pittsburgh! Heath was lauded for his blocking by John Madden in Sunday's 27-23 Super Bowl win vs. Arizona. And he made impact with his receiving. He had five catches for 57 yards including a pair of 11-yard grabs during a second-quarter drive that gave Pittsburgh a 10-0 lead. From Gary Mihoces's article, entitled Steelers tight end Miller excels at right time in USA Today: There is nothing flashy about tight end Heath Miller. But he plays a fundamental role in both the running game and the passing game of the Pittsburgh Steelers, who are at their best when both are in balance. Maybe he'd get more notice if he had a few wild tattoos. "I don't have any. I couldn't think of anything that I would want for the rest of my life," says the 6-5, 256-pounder, a first-round draft pick from Virginia in 2005 and a starter since his rookie year. Maybe if his life away from football included an exotic hobby like sky diving. Instead, he likes to take long walks with his dogs, a Chocolate Lab (Charlie) and a Newfoundland (Marla). "I like to take them hiking, just to be outside," Miller says. "My wife (Katie) says I always tend to want to do something. It's hard for me to sit around." The offense that has helped the Steelers to a pair of Super Bowl titles in his four-year NFL career keeps Miller very active. He had 18 touchdown receptions his first three seasons. That dropped off to three touchdown catches this regular season. But in the Steelers' playoff opener against the San Diego Chargers, he had a pivotal 8-yard touchdown catch. And now, due in no small part to his catching and blocking, the Steelers have a second Super Bowl trophy since he has been on the roster.
To read the entire article, click here. Superbowl Photos: Can be seen here. Congratulations to Heath and the Pittsburgh Steelers! January 31, 2009 Miller Mania
While Heath seems to be successful at all he does on and off the field, he certainly hasn't been successful in staying out of the media spotlight this week. We all know how humble he is regarding himself and his accomplishments, so it is rare that he gets a lot of coverage in the press. But, this week has been different. Superbowl media is different. Add in Miller's hometown media coverage, and he has been in the spotlight many times this week. I have added several stories on Miller from this week: Miller Had Moments In Basketball, Baseball Too To see a larger view of the photo shown (Heath is on the right in the picture), click here. January 30, 2009 Miller: "I Am Truly Blessed"
Heath spoke with WTAE recently about how it feels to be playing in his second Superbowl. Heath Miller won a Super Bowl in his rookie season with the Pittsburgh Steelers, but the modest 26-year-old has never let success at a young age go to his head. Miller: "You keep things in perspective. This game -- it's a game." "I can't really describe the feeling that you have -- a lot emotion, anticipation, a little nerves. It's just something that builds over the course of two weeks." "I didn't realize how truly blessed I was to be here until I came here and experienced it." Win or lose Sunday, Miller will still be the same guy who graduated from Honaker High School in Virginia, who recognizes the bigger picture outside of football. "I feel like I'm truly blessed to be able to do it and make a living doing it to support my family, but in the grand scheme of things, it's minimal in what this world has to deal with and what the purpose of life is," said Miller. To read the entire article, and watch the video interview, click here. January 29, 2009 Miller to resume his role as Quarterback?
During Media Day all sorts of questions are asked. Like this one asked to Heath: Would you like to throw a pass during the Superbowl? Miller's reply: "Maybe I'll lobby for that a little bit this week. But if it happened, they'd have to be wide open." Remember-Heath played quarterback in high school. Superbowl Photos: Click here to view photos of Heath in Tampa. There has been a lot of chatter this week in the media regarding what a big role Heath will play during the game. Most feel he will be utilized many times by Roethlisberger due to his "clutch" ability. January 27, 2009 Media Day
Today was Media Day for the Steelers. There were cameras and reporters everywhere, all trying to get to every player. The day also consisted of the players signing football and taking the official SB XLIII team photo. The video footage of trying to gather and situate all the players was pretty funny. The players and coaches all seem very relaxed and comfortable under all the spotlight. Coach Tomlin seems to be doing a great job in helping the players balance between embracing the Superbowl atmosphere, yet focusing on what they are there to do-win a game. Coach Tomlin: "It's my goal that we embrace all that comes with being in the Super Bowl," said Tomlin, who delivered those instructions at a team meeting yesterday. "We're not going to come down here and have the mentality that we're going to be resistant of the obligations that we have, or be resistant to these opportunities to visit with the media and so forth." Heath's response to Tomlin's credo: "You never know how many times you get to play in a Super Bowl. Some guys never get to play in a Super Bowl. I think it means to soak it all up, don't block everything out and focus entirely on the game. When it's time to work, it's time to work and it's time to get your preparation down, but soak everything else up and savor the moment." To view some photos of Miller from Media Day, click here. January 26, 2009 Can't make it to Tampa...
...No problem! One lucky EBay bidder could be watching the Super Bowl with Jason Gildon in a private room at Bettis' Grille 36. Glimmer of Hope, whose goal is to fund research to find a cure for breast cancer, is sponsoring this great event. The winning bidder and five friends get to watch the game from the VIP Owners Box at Jerome Bettis' Grille 36. The box comes with your own waitstaff, appetizers and snacks, and your own personal Pittsburgh Steelers player! Jason Gildon, former linebacker with the Steelers will attend the game viewing in the box with you and your friends! What a great way to watch the Steelers crush the Cardinals, and help support research to crush breast cancer! For more information on the event, and on The Glimmer of Hope Foundation, click here. SB XLIII news: The Steelers arrived in Tampa today to begin preparation for SB XLIII. To see a video of the arrival from the Post-Gazette, click here. Media Day: NFL Network has a schedule of their airings on Media Day. Click here to view it. Also, visit the NFL Network website to view coverage of SB XLIII news! January 23, 2009 Tight Ends Could Lead the Way
From Mike Prisuta, of the Tribune-Review: Steelers tight end Heath Miller has seen some video from the NFC Championship Game, but not the part where his Eagles counterpart reached double figures in receptions against the Arizona Cardinals. "I don't think we got that far," Miller said. "I did see he had a lot of catches, though." Philadelphia tight end Brent Celek had 10 catches, two of which went for touchdowns, in the Eagles' 32-25 loss to the Cards. The second-year pro and former fifth-round pick from Cincinnati had only caught 27 passes all season, and only one had gone for a touchdown. Did Celek suddenly morph into Mike Ditka? Or has the Cardinals' defense suddenly become a little too user-friendly for tight ends? If it's the latter, Miller might be in line for a monster game in Super Bowl XLIII, not that he's thought that far ahead. "A lot of times, that's (a result of) what the other team is doing," Miller said. "You never know how they're going to play us as a defense. And our game plan can dictate the ball going different places sometimes. "I don't get my hopes up too much, but I'll be ready when called upon." How often Miller gets the call against the Cardinals won't necessarily be predicated on how Philadelphia tight ends fared against Arizona, but recent performance is always taken into account during the preparation process. "The game is and always will be matchup oriented," Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. "I want to pit our strengths vs. their potential weakness. I would like to minimize our weaknesses and play to our strengths. "All of that's the chess match that's involved in formulating a game plan and getting your guys ready to play." The Steelers, likewise, won't necessarily build their defensive game plan solely on stopping field-stretching receivers such as Arizona's Larry Fitzgerald, despite his record-setting success this postseason (419 receiving yards, an all-time NFL playoffs high). "I know that when you get to January football, and now we're talking about February football, teams that play in these games are balanced," Tomlin said. "We've talked quite a bit about what Fitzgerald is capable of, what (wide receiver) Anquan Boldin is capable of, what (quarterback) Kurt Warner is capable of. "We're also aware of what (running back) Edgerrin James is capable of. You have to respect all their weapons. There's a reason they're in this game. We understand that their weapon of choice may be different than it's been." Miller caught a career-high 48 passes in the regular season, despite missing two games because of an ankle injury, but his touchdown receptions fell to a career-low three. A first-round pick from Virginia in 2005, Miller caught 18 TD passes over his first three seasons. He found the end zone again in the Steelers' 35-24 playoff victory over San Diego on Jan. 11 and caught three passes and averaged 20.7 yards per catch in the Steelers' AFC Championship Game victory over Baltimore. "I think we have guys in this locker room who are all capable of making plays when called upon," Miller said. "We just try to take advantage of what the defense is giving us." January 22, 2009 Miller:The Best Tight End in Football...
...Says Ben Roethlisberger. Roethlisberger spoke to the media Wednesday, and had this to say about utilizing Heath this season: I think an athlete and a player like that, you can utilize him more. I think they took him away a lot more. There were a lot of plays we had called for him. He was one of the main options. Teams watch him. He is the best tight end in football. To read all of Ben's press conference, click here. Also: Gregg Rosenthal, of NBCSports.com wrote an article breaking down the Steelers and Cardinals, and deciding who had the edge at each position. Who does he give the edge to in the Tight End position? Cardinals: Leonard Pope and Ben Patrick made three key grabs against the Eagles. Don't expect that to happen again: they combined for 20 catches all year. Their mediocre blocking skills also hurt their chances of being on the field. Steelers: Heath Miller is one of football's most complete tight ends. A big target with great hands, he's focused on blocking more because of Pittsburgh's offensive line struggles. He has 220 yards in his last four games. Our pick: Steelers January 20, 2009 The Media Blitz Begins
The media have descended upon Pittsburgh. It is nothing but a preview of what the Steelers will see next week in Tampa. Many questions focus on Coach Tomlin, and how the players feel about him. Last season there was a lot of talk in the media about how tough Tomlin was on the team. His first training camp was said to be much more physical than Bill Cowher had run. He was said to be a strict disciplinarian. But, now that Tomlin has had time to get to know his players and vice versa, he is said to be more flexible in his coaching. Either way, Coach Tomlin has won the respect of his players. He has earned the right to be his own person instead of being compared to Bill Cowher. Heath talks about Coach Tomlin: As in any relationship, the more time you're around each other the more you get to know each other. The more comfortable you are and you're going to be a straigh shooter-you're going to be pretty even keeled. I think that earns respect throughout the locker room. That is why guys like to play for him. To watch Heath's interview, click here. He also talks about whether he feels Hines Ward will play in the Superbowl. The interview begins with Nate Washington, and Heath is on after him. To see some screen caps of the interview, click here. Thanks so much to Erin, of Big Ben News for taking the time to make the screen captures for me! Be sure to visit her site for all the latest news and pictures of Ben Roethlisberger! January 19, 2009 The Steelers Are Superbowl Bound!
Steelers 23, Ravens 14 The Steelers hadn't been able to celebrate an AFC championship at home in 13 years, and a record crowd at Heinz Field stayed into the night to savor the 23-14 victory against the Baltimore Ravens that punched the team's ticket to the Super Bowl for a seventh time. "This is for you," owner Dan Rooney said to the fans at a mid-field ceremony punctuated by Zambelli fireworks lighting up the wintry sky last night. The Lamar Hunt Trophy presented to the AFC champions was handed over by Rod Woodson, who with Dermontti Dawson served as honorary co-captains for the game. Had it not been for a super play by super safety Troy Polamalu, the outcome could have been an Edgar Allan Poe-like horror. With the Steelers nursing a two-point lead in a game that was way too close for comfort, Polamalu intercepted a pass and returned it 40 yards for a touchdown with 4 minutes, 24 seconds remaining. It was the final score against the rival Ravens, who lost three times to the Steelers this season. Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco had not been sacked and had not been picked off in two playoff wins. But he was intercepted three times yesterday, including the dagger to the heart by Polamalu, and was sacked three times in the loss. He finished with a quarterback rating of 18.2 against the league's No. 1 defense. Miller watch... ...Heath had three key receptions, for a total of sixty-two yards. He also threw an amazing block on a Ravens defender, allowing Santonio Holmes to score for Pittsburgh. The Steelers will play against an unlikely opponent, the Arizona Cardinals, in Super Bowl XLIII in Tampa, Fla., Feb. 1. The Cardinals, often called "Pittsburgh West" because of their many connections to the city and the Steelers, will play in their first Super Bowl. Photos... ...can be seen here. January 11, 2009 Miller starts postseason off with a TD!
Steelers 35, Chargers 24 Heath scored another touchdown as the Steelers defeated the SD Chargers. Playing as complete a game as they have all season, the Steelers beat the visiting San Diego Chargers, 35-24, on Sunday in front of a frenzied crowd of 63,899. The Steelers and Ravens will meet for the third time this season when Baltimore visits Heinz Field next Sunday with the AFC Championship and a trip to the Super Bowl on the line. The Steelers (13-4) trailed the Chargers (9-9) early, but they broke open the AFC divisional playoff game by scoring 21 unanswered points. They dominated the third quarter, controlling the ball for all but 17 seconds of the period as San Diego ran just one play - it resulted in an interception - and by the end of it, there was little doubt that the Steelers would advance to the AFC title game. The Steelers offense, defense and special teams played a great game! Heath Miller caught three balls for 37 yards and a touchdown in Pittsburgh's divisional round win. Both of Miller's non-scoring catches went for first downs, and the second set up his eight-yard touchdown grab on a tone-setting eight-minute drive to open the second half. I lost track while trying to count Heath's blocks during the game. He held the Chargers defense at bay all day. The Steelers will host Baltimore on January 18 at 6:30 p.m. for the AFC Championship game. To see photos of Heath from the game, click here.
January 10, 2009 It's Miller Time
The Steelers are gearing up to take on the Chargers tomorrow. Heath did not play in the last meeting with the Chargers, but he will hopefully play a big role this time. From Ron Cook: For playoff Steelers, there's no better time for Miller Time Seems like everybody has the answer for what's wrong with the Steelers' offense: Put a fullback in the backfield and let Fast Willie Parker run behind him. Simple, right? I'm here to tell you there's a better solution: Throw the ball more to tight end Heath Miller. At least keep him on the field every play so the defense has to worry about Ben Roethlisberger throwing to him. One of the most puzzling things about the offense this season has been the silly decision to take Miller out and use a four-wide receiver formation on some third-and-4 and third-and-5 plays. Only Hines Ward is a more dependable third-down receiver than Miller -- and even that's a toss-up call. Here's another way to look at it: Would you rather Big Ben throw to Limas Sweed or Miller? I thought so. So what gives, Bruce Arians? "Well, there are times when a fourth wide receiver is a better matchup against a fourth cornerback," the brains behind the offense said the other day. "It also gives you a little more speed down the field." On third-and-15, maybe. Not on third-and-5. Not ever. "Well, we need to get Limas Sweed on the field," Arians said. "He's got to play to grow as a player." Not now. Not with the San Diego Chargers in town tomorrow for an AFC playoff game. Not with so much at stake. It wouldn't be the least bit surprising if Miller, given the chance and the pig, is the difference against the Chargers. "If you put the ball close to him, he'll catch it," said Steelers Pro Bowl linebacker James Farrior, who knows a great tight end when he sees one. "Then, he's going to run over the first guy who tries to tackle him." That's the way it worked when the Steelers last played January football. You might remember Miller had a career night with eight catches for 85 yards and a touchdown in the 31-29 playoff loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars last season. Four of those catches and the touchdown came during three second-half scoring drives that gave the Steelers a 29-28 lead midway through the fourth quarter. That's what Miller is capable of doing in a big game. Just call it Miller Time. Seems to me it would be awfully tempting to throw him the ball 15 times Sunday. "Fifteen? I wouldn't bet on that," Miller said, sheepishly, which is how he says just about everything when the topic of conversation is him. OK, 15 might be out of the question, but it is encouraging that Arians seems to have started using Miller as significantly more than just a terrific blocker. After missing two games at midseason with an ankle injury -- including the odd 11-10 Heinz Field win Nov. 16 against the Chargers -- Miller averaged 4 1/2 catches a game in the next six games. In the most recent game against Cleveland, he had five catches for 55 yards. The game before that at Tennessee, he had eight catches for 69 yards. "It all depends on what the defense gives you," Miller said. "They were playing a lot of soft coverage in those games, and the underneath stuff was there. But against certain defenses, the better matchups are on the outside. I have confidence that those guys are going to make the plays, too. "All that matters to me is we play well as a team and have success and win. I don't care how many catches I have. I never have." That's Miller. The ultimate team man. Hey, there are worse things to be called. Still, it's a crying shame Miller doesn't get more national recognition as one of the game's great players. He just might do his job better than the any of the other Steelers does his. Certainly, he's every bit the player that Chargers' brilliant tight end Antonio Gates is. Gates, a Pro Bowler for the fifth consecutive season, just happens to play in an offense that puts more emphasis on his pass-catching skills than his blocking. Who knows? Maybe the perception will change tomorrow. All week, the Steelers talked about finishing in the red zone. In that 11-10 game, they had three possessions inside the Chargers' 4 and came away with just two field goals. It's no coincidence Miller was out with his injury. Betcha didn't know the Steelers are 14-5 when Miller catches a touchdown pass. Roethlisberger would be smart to look for him this time. Arians would be smart to make sure he's in the game at all times. "Heath gets my vote as best tight end in the league," Farrior said. Mine, too. January 4, 2009 Playoff stage is setPlayoff game: Steelers vs. Chargers The Steelers will once again take on the Chargers at Heinz Field. The game is January 11, 2009 at 4:45 p.m. The last game they played against each other was filled with penalties, field goals, and a strange ending score of 11-10. It's the only time in the history of the NFL a game was decided by that score. Ben Roethlisberger threw for 308 yards, Willie Parker ran for 115 and Hines Ward caught 11 passes for 124 yards and Pittsburgh did not score a touchdown. Troy Polamalu had a fumble recovery for a touchdown, but it was called back. Later, the NFL ruled that the touchdown should have counted. The Steelers defense harassed Chargers QB Philip Rivers all day. Rivers had been the NFL's ratings leader, but vs. the Steelers defense he was 15 of 26 for 164 yards, with two interceptions and a season-low rating of 44.4. The Steelers had a rare weekend off, but will return to practice Monday. December 29, 2008 Miller sets personal reception recordHeath set his own career record for receptions after the Browns game. He ended the regular season with 48 receptions! Congrats to #83. Steelers playoff game: The Steelers will start the playoff season on January 11 at Heinz Field. The game will be at 4:45 p.m. They will play either the Miami Dolphins, San Diego Chargers, or Indianapolis Colts. December 28, 2008 Steelers shut out Browns
Steelers 31, Browns 0 The Steelers ended regular season play with a win over the Browns. With this win, the Steelers complete the season undefeated in the AFC-North. Ben Roethlisberger suffered a concussion during the game, and was taken off the field on a stretcher. Early news is that it is a mild concussion. From Coach Tomlin: "To this point all tests are negative, which is a positive. We're optimistic about where he's going to be capable of being. The bye is going to be helpful in regard to that." We are all hoping Ben is doing well, and will be back for the upcoming playoff game. It was a scary time while he was down on the field and we are glad to know he is going to be ok. Bryon Leftwich replaced Ben and handled the offense well. Heath had a good game with five receptions for a total of fifty-five yards. The Steelers will open the playoffs Jan. 10 or 11th at Heinz Field. To see some photos of Heath from the game, click here. December 26, 2008 From one tight end to another...
We all know what a great athlete Heath Miller is, but he also does many great things off the field. Many times they are not even publicized. I came across this story through a blog run by Connor Nolte, an athlete at Furman University in Greenville, SC. A fellow athlete, Larry Hedden, plays football for Furman. He is a tight end who was a consensus All-Southern Conference first team selection in 2007 after catching 36 passes for 421 yards and three touchdowns. Hedden had missed the first part of this season with a separated shoulder. He returned to the field and then suffered through the death of his father. Hedden continued to play, and suffered another injury. He dislocated his knee, which resulted in tears in all three ligaments in his right knee. The Furman athletic trainer reports that Hedden's football career is over. Somehow Miller was made aware of Hedden's story and sent him an autographed football (and some other things). Nolte's coach made the team aware of what Heath did, and said there was a note from Heath to Hedden. Part of it said: "From one tight end to another...good luck recovering." To read Nolte's blog, click here. To read the article on Hedden, click here. What a thoughtful thing for Heath to do! Best wishes to Larry Hedden! December 24, 2008 News and notes
HAPPY HOLIDAYS! The Heath Miller fan site would like to wish everyone a happy and safe holiday season! Game news: The Steelers play their final regular season home game this Sunday. The game against the Browns begins at 1:00 p.m. The media and some fans have said all week that this game is virtually "meaningless", but the team and Coach Tomlin disagree. During Coach Tomlin's press conference this week, he said the Steelers would "play to win." He did not give specifics on how much playing time some starters would see. Jim Wexell talks about Heath: Sportswriter Jim Wexell had some great comments about Heath's performance against the Titans last week: "Tight End Heath Miller had another productive afternoon against Tennessee. One tight end at a time thrives in the 2-TE offense, and again it was Heath Miller. He was the star for the Steelers with his eight catches." Way to go #83! December 15, 2008 Steelers defeated by Titans
Titans 31, Steelers 14 The battle for the #1 seed in the playoffs was won by the Titans. The Steelers seemed to have trouble on offense, defense, and special teams play today. The Steelers' defense gave up 323 yards of total offense, the first time this season it has yielded more than 300 yards in a game, and did not force a turnover. The offense turned the ball over numerous times, and special teams play had problems also. Coach Tomlin probably summed it up best: "The story of the game for us is missed opportunities," said head coach Mike Tomlin. "When you don't take care of the football versus good people in a hostile environment it bites you. They made significant plays in third down situations, in fourth down situations. It was a good game by them and below the line by us. When that happens the score looks the way it looks." Heath's stats: Miller had eight receptions for a total of 69 yards. This was a tough loss, but let's not forget... the Steelers have already clinched the AFC North title, are locked in as the No. 2 seed in the AFC playoffs and will get a first-round bye. All of this was accomplished while having the toughest schedule in the league, and dealing with numerous injuries to key players all season. Definitely a reason to be proud! Game photos: click here. I will add more as I find them. You can always view the latest additions to the photo gallery by clicking on Last Uploads. And, to enlarge the photos and read the captions, just click on the photo. December 15, 2008 Game photos addedI have added a few game photos from the Ravens game. I will add more if I find any. Click here to see them. You can check back for more photos anytime. Just go to the photo gallery and click at the top on Last Uploads.
December 14, 2008 Steelers win AFC North title
Steelers 13, Ravens 9 Another improbable rally has bagged a division title and a first-round bye in the playoffs for the Steelers. Ben Roethlisberger threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to Santonio Holmes with 43 seconds left in today's AFC North showdown, as the Steelers stunned the Ravens, 13-9, at M&T Bank Stadium. Roethlisberger's pass to Holmes capped a 12-play, 92-yard drive and produced the only touchdown in a defensive struggle between bitter rivals. Referees didn't initially rule the third-down catch by Holmes a touchdown, but they gave the Steelers the score after reviewing the play. The Ravens moved inside the Steelers' 40-yard line on the final drive of the game, but William Gay ended the threat by intercepting his first career pass in the end zone. The Steelers improved to 11-3 and clinched the AFC North while snapping a five-game losing streak in Baltimore. The Steelers came back from yet another fourth-quarter deficit in front of a record crowd of 71,502 and an equally hostile defense. They trailed, 9-3, before a Jeff Reed field goal pulled them to within three points and a defensive stand set the stage for another fourth-quarter rally. Heath had three receptions for twenty-six yards. Miller had a big play on third down, catching a 17-yard pass from Roethlisberger for a key first down. The Steelers visit the Tennessee Titans next Sunday and can take over the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs with a victory. I will post game photos of Heath as I find them. December 10, 2008-evening update Steelers spread cheer at Children's HospitalFrom Teresa Varley's article at Steelers.com: A hospital can be a scary place for a child, and at the holidays it can be even worse. That is why several Steelers were happy to participate in the Children's Hospital annual family holiday dinner and do their best to bring smiles to the faces of the kids. Some kids were a bit timid, while others wanted to talk football all day with safety Ryan Clark, linebackers James Farrior and James Harrison and tight end Heath Miller and play games with Harlem Globetrotter Hot Shot Branch. "It's always good if you have an opportunity to hopefully bring a smile to their face or brighten their day," said Miller. "Days in here can be sad, but hopefully we can brighten their day a little bit. Maybe this is their special way of enjoying Christmas." Clark, who has three children of his own, counts his blessings of having healthy children and was happy to be able to do his part to make the kid's day a little brighter. "It's cool to come out and try to put a smile on their faces," said Clark. "Having children myself, when the kids are sick and things like that it's tough on the family. You look at kids as so innocent and they haven't done anything to deserve to be in the hospital. God allows us to put a little sunshine into their lives. " "I just couldn't imagine being a child and not being able to be out celebrating the holiday season. If we can come and do a little bit it's so worth it." The players signed photos for the kids, shared lots of laughs and also posed for pictures with them. "Kids like us. I like kids," said Harrison. "It's an opportunity to come out and do something and put a little bit of joy into somebody's life. Considering how blessed I am up until this point, it’s a great opportunity to give back." The kids also had the chance to play plenty of games as theme of the party was a "Holiday Carnival." "They are in the hospital and it"s the holidays and we wanted to give them something to look forward to," said Farrior. "We wanted to bring some joy into their life." It was easy to tell they were successful in their efforts just by seeing the kids faces light up, but 16-year old Macy Gibbs from Toronto, Ohio, who has been in Children's Hospital for five weeks and will be home for Christmas, said it best. "It makes my whole life, my whole visit here brighter," said Gibbs. "I love the Steelers. This was amazing. This was the best part of being here." More photos: Click here to see them. December 10, 2008 Heath helps brighten the day at Children's Hospital
Heath attended the Children's Hospital Annual Holiday dinner. He was joined by teammates, James Harrison, Ryan Clark, and Larry Foote. A member of the Harlem Globetrotters also was there. They visited with patients and put smiles on many children's faces. To see a video of the visit, click here. I made some screen captures of Heath from the event. Click here to see them. December 7, 2008 Miller gets TD #3 in Steelers win
Steelers 20, Cowboys 13 The Steelers overcame a double-digit lead and their own offensive struggles today in a pulsating 20-13 win over the Dallas Cowboys at Heinz Field. Deshea Townsend returned an interception 26 yards for a touchdown late in the fourth quarter to deliver the electrifying win in a historic rival of the Steelers. In a game that was defense dominated, the score at the end of the first quarter was 0-0. The Steelers defense started the game with an interception, and also ended the game with an interception. They harassed the Cowboys offense all day, forcing numerous turnovers. The Cowboys found ways to score, while the Steelers could not seem to get into the end zone. Finally, Roethlisberger threw to Miller for a six-yard touchdown. It is Heath's third TD of the season. He had 20 yards receiving today. This tied the game and it looked like it could head to overtime. But, Deshea Townsend came up with a huge play. He intercepted Cowboys Tony Romo, and ran it back for a touchdown. This sealed the win for Pittsburgh. The Steelers improved to 10-3 and assured themselves of staying at least a game ahead of the Ravens in the AFC North. The Ravens play later tonight, and play host to the Steelers next Sunday. Tomlin on the game: "What a beautiful game; and I mean that," said head coach Mike Tomlin. "I just told the team that. People get too preoccupied with style points. That was a beautiful football game because we displayed mettle and we hung together. Are we far from perfect? Yes. But this is our football team. Those guys fought, they believed in one another; and they didn’t blink in the face of adversity, most of which was caused by us; but that is life." "That gives us something to work on as we move forward; it is great to do that with a victory against a top-notch opponent and it was great to do it in front of our fans. This is December; we will take the W." Reminders: The time for the Ravens game next weekend is now 4:15 p.m. Also, there is still time to get your Pro Bowl votes in! Check out the news from December 5 for an update. Game photos: Click here to see some pictures from the game.
December 5, 2008 Keep the Miller Pro Bowl votes coming!The Pro Bowl fan voting is coming to an end as of December 9. Heath was #4 in fan votes for Tight End's as of November. So, we need to keep voting as much as possible! The link is still on the right side of this page, but you can also click here to vote! Let's help send #83 to his first Pro Bowl! You can vote as many times as you want. It's quick and painless! December 3, 2008 Heath attends 65 Roses Sports Auction
Heath attended the 65 Roses Sports Auction Monday night at the Pittsburgh Athletic Association. The event was hosted by his teammate, Brett Keisel, and many of the Steelers attended. The event benefits Cystic Fibrosis. Fans who attended were able to get autographs from the players, bowl, enter raffles and auctions, and of course, enjoy great food. Everyone had a good time, and it was for a great cause! To see some pictures of Heath at the event, click here. New photo additions... ...I am still updating the gallery and have added some new photos from fans and previous events. Click here to see them. There are two pages of new additions. December 1, 2008 Miller has big game as Steelers pound Patriots
Steelers 33, Patriots 10 The Steelers scored 30 unanswered points, including 13 in the third quarter to take a lead over the Patriots that they wouldn’t relinquish, en route to a 33-10 win at Gillette Stadium. The win, which had great play all around, improves the record to 9-3 and keeps them on top of the AFC North. "It was just that - a team win," said head coach Mike Tomlin. "I think we had significant plays in all three phases. We had big returns, we got turnovers, the kicking game, the offense got going there and the defense, well, they were their usual selves. Needless to say, we"re pleased with this. We"ll keep it in perspective. We"ll put it with the other ones. Our greater challenges, of course, lie ahead." Special teams has been an area the Steelers have been looking for a spark all season and they got one when Santonio Holmes returned the punt 29 yards to their own 36-yard line. Roethlisberger immediately looked for the big play, hitting Miller over the middle for 21 yards. Later, Miller got the Steelers in the red zone with a nine-yard reception to the nine-yard line. The Steelers weren’t able to get in the end zone, but Reed hit a 25-yard field goal to give them a 13-10 lead. Once again, the Steelers defense dominated the game. The offense joined in, and the Steelers had a field day with the Patriots. Heath was the leading receiver for the Steelers. He had four receptions for a total of 60 yards. His longest reception was 21 yards. Way to go #83! AFC-North news: The Ravens had a field day with the Bengals, winning 34-3. The Steelers still hold a one-game lead in the division. This could make the December 14 meeting between the Ravens and Steelers huge. Due to flex scheduling, the game time for the Ravens-Steelers game is now 4:15 p.m. Let's all root for the Redskins next week to beat the Ravens! Miller game photos... ... can be seen here. To enlarge the pictures, just click on them. November 28, 2008 Heath lends a hand with Thanksgiving dinner
From WPXI: Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward hosted about 50 people at his Southside bar and grille "86" Thanksgiving Day. He and teammates Heath Miller, Jeff Reed, Deshea Townsend, Nate Washington and Limas Sweed served food and also signed autographs for children. "It's a special meaning for us as players to be able to see the enjoyment on the faces on the kids faces. When they see us they just light up," he said. "That's what Thanksgiving is all about." The Salvation Army helped Ward find the families and coordinate the event. To view pictures from the dinner, click here. To enlarge the pictures, just click on them. November 23, 2008 Heath on Hines Ward show
Heath appeared on the Hines Ward show this week. It aired on KDKA last night, and as promised, here are the links. Click here to view the show. There are five segments, so be sure to catch them all! I will post some screen captures and quotes later. November 21, 2008 Heath being his usual modest selfHeath talks about his TD reception: "It was just a good play call and a good throw. I had the easy part," said Miller. "I was open in the flat and Matt Spaeth had a good pick route on the play." If you missed his touchdown, don't worry. I located a replay. Click here. I have some game photos added. Click here for the pictures. You can always check out the photo gallery for the latest Miller pictures. At the top of the gallery page, you can click on Last uploads to see the newest additions. November 20, 2008 Miller returns-gets TD #2
Steelers 27, Bengals 10 The Steelers remain undefeated in the AFC-North division by defeating the Bengals tonight. The Bengals started off the scoring with a touchdown, but the Steelers answered back. They scored 20 points in a row on a 3-yard touchdown pass from Ben Roethlisberger to Heath Miller, two Jeff Reed field goals of 37 and 38 yards and a 2-yard run by Gary Russell. Roethlisberger added another touchdown on an 8-yard scramble late in the game. The Steelers defense held strong, only allowing 10 points by the Bengals. It was great to see Heath back on the field, and to see him get a TD! He had a total of four receptions for forty-four yards. I will get game photos added soon. Way to go tonight #83! November 19, 2008 New photo gallery.......is finally set up. You will notice I have not transferred ALL the pictures yet. I am still working on it. This gallery is more interactive. You can leave comments on the pictures and read others comments. If you want to see a larger version of any picture, just click on it. Injury update: Heath was able to practice Tuesday and today, and reports are saying that he will play Thursday. It will be great to watch him on the field again! Let's hope he sees alot of action! November 18, 2008 Miller says he'll play Thursday
I mentioned yesterday that I was not sure whether Heath would play this week. Coach Tomlin's press conference today did not do much to answer the question. He basically said he was not sure if Miller would play Thursday. Then Jim Wexell, from Steelcityinsider.com, wrote this article: The Pittsburgh Steelers will have the services of tight end Heath Miller for Thursday night's game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Mike Tomlin would only go so far as to say "we could potentially get Heath Miller back." Miller, though, said he’s going to play. Maybe the 12 catches for 108 yards by his replacement, Matt Spaeth, have something to do with his speedy recovery. "No, I feel good, like I'm ready to come back," Miller said. "I don't see a reason why I wouldn't play." Miller missed the last two games with a high ankle sprain, but participated in yesterday's walk-through and said he feels fine. So, what did he think about the job turned in by Spaeth the last two games? "I expected nothing less," Miller said. "He came through and did a great job." Tomlin was asked why the Steelers -- after Miller had caught only 21 passes in eight games - dialed Spaeth's number so often the last two games. "It is a function of the defenses that we have seen over the past couple of weeks that have created the umbrella defense," Tomlin said. "We went through a spell there where we were getting behind people; Nate Washington was catching balls behind people. Really, I think that it has been people are making a conscious effort to keep things inside of them. Part of smart football at times is taking what the defense is giving you. Not only have we stepped up the production from the tight end position, but Mewelde Moore has caught quite a few balls here the past couple of weeks. I really just think that it is a function of what defenses are willing to give us and us being smart enough to take it."
FYI: I have moved some of the older news stories to the Archives. Click on Archives at the top of this page to read them. November 17, 2008 Miller to be a guest on the Hines Ward showHeath is scheduled to appear on the Hines Ward show tomorrow! For information on attending the taping of the show, click here. The show airs on KDKA-Pittsburgh on Saturday night. For those not local to Pittsburgh, don't worry! Most of the time there are videos of the show after the airing. I will post them here when they are available. Steelers 11, Chargers 10 In a game where Ben Roethlisberger threw for over 300 yards, Willie Parker rushed for over a 100 yards, and the Steelers defense caused several turnovers, there were no Steelers touchdowns. Jeff Reed scored three field goals, and James Harrison scored a safety to give the Steelers enough points to win the game. The score of the game was a first-never had there been a score of 11-10 in the NFL previously. The win gives the Steelers sole possession of first place in the AFC-North, since the Ravens lost Sunday. The team has a short week as they play the Bengals Thursday. No word yet on whether Heath will play. His protective boot is off, but no word yet on when he can practice. November 11, 2008-Happy Veterans Day Steelers suffer first AFC loss of season
Colts 24, Steelers 20 The Colts came to Heinz Field Sunday and handed the Steelers their first AFC loss of the season. The loss erased the one-game lead the Steelers had in the AFC-North division. They are now tied with Baltimore, but the Steelers hold the tie-breaker, as of now since they beat the Ravens earlier in the season. As expected, Miller did not play during the Colts game. He is also listed as questionable, at best, for the Chargers game. The picture of Heath shown above is from a recent visit from the Make-A-Wish Foundation. November 7, 2008 Heath still listed as doubtful for Colts gameIt sounds like the chances of Heath playing this Sunday are slim. Reports all week have indicated that he didn't practice all week, including today. New addition: To the right side of the page. Check out the Miller Chatter area. I will post notable quotes about Heath, and also notable ones from him. Be sure to check it out! Big thanks: To Ellie for catching a mistake I made. I left out the Colts game from the schedule on the right side of this page. Thanks for the catch Ellie! November 4, 2008 Steelers defeat Redskins.
Steelers 23, Redskins 6 The Steelers were without Ben Roethlisberger and Heath Miller for the second half of the game, yet they found a way to defeat the Redskins. Roethlisberger left the game after he reinjured his shoulder. Heath left the game with an ankle injury. Back-up QB Byron Leftwich took over the reigns after halftime and did an amazing job. He led the Steelers on a pair of long touchdown drives in the second half. While Leftwich did a great job leading the offense, it was the Steelers defense who dominated the night. The Steelers sacked Campbell seven times, and their pressure forced the him to throw his first interceptions of the season. The Steelers are now 6-2 and lead the AFC-North division. They face the Colts this Sunday. Injury update... ...Heath is being listed as doubtful for the game Sunday. He has an ankle injury. Roethlisberger had an MRI today and the results have not been released, as of yet. Update... ...I am switching to another photo gallery so the photo section will not be updated right away. You can still view the pictures that are in there now, and I will get the new one set up soon. November 3, 2008
Steelers' Miller is the total packageWe've known Miller was the total package all along, but it's nice to hear the media saying it also. From Ed Bouchette's article in the Post Gazette: Heath Miller has one of those jobs few in his profession covet. He plays tight end for the Steelers, and if a tight end wants to star in professional football, that's the last place to work. Miller is on his fastest receiving pace since he arrived as the team's No. 1 draft pick in 2005, and he is moving up the list of all-time Steelers tight ends. On the grand NFL landscape, though, it's merely a ripple. Miller's 21 receptions in seven games has him on pace to catch 48 passes, which would top his career high from last season by one. He also will soon become the team's fourth-most productive receiving tight end with four more receptions and could become their second-best scoring tight end by season's end. But compared to other tight ends, it's a drop in the bucket. There will be a pass-catching tight end on the field tonight in Landover, Md., but he'll be wearing a Redskins uniform. Chris Cooley's 40 receptions are second in the NFL among tight ends behind Jason Witten. A converted fullback, Cooley made the Pro Bowl last season when he caught 66 passes. Yet Bruce Arians, the Steelers' offensive coordinator, said he'd take Heath Miller over all of them. "Pro bowls have nothing to do with the best tight ends going to the Pro Bowl," Arians said. "It's the guy with the most catches who goes. Those are glorified wide receivers. I've said it every year, Heath's the best tight end in the AFC." The Steelers have placed just one tight end in a Pro Bowl in the past 45 seasons: Eric Green made it after the 1993 season, when he led Bill Cowher's second team with 63 receptions. It's Miller's own fault. If he weren't so good at blocking, or so willing, he would likely be Tony Gonzalez or Antonio Gates, or even Chris Cooley -- he just would not have been drafted by the Steelers. "Heath Miller could be whoever he wanted to be if he were a tight end in their offense," Arians said of the Redskins. "He could be all those guys, because those guys can't block. He can block." Miller could make a run at becoming the Steelers' second Pro Bowl tight end in 46 seasons because the traditional top AFC tight ends, Gonzalez and Gates, are off in their production with 33 and 30 receptions, respectively. But he would have to pick up the pace, and on a team that has three good wide receivers, it's more likely Miller will catch fewer than 50 passes instead of more. "In our offense I think it's in our best interests to spread the ball around and use all of our weapons," Miller said. "I think that's when we pose the biggest threat to defenses." You check your ego at the door when you become a Steelers tight end. To read the entire article, click here. Reminder: Don't forget to get your votes in to send Heath to the Pro Bowl! The link is on the right side of this page. October 31, 2008-Happy Halloween! Pro Bowl reminder!I just wanted to remind everyone to keep voting to send Heath to the Pro Bowl. Remember, fans count for one-third of the vote! I have added a "Miller-Pro Bowl 2009" link to the right side of this page. Just click on the link provided and go to Tight Ends. Also: ... I received the following email from Diana Napper, who is with the Glimmer of Hope" Foundation (the event Heath hosted this week-October 28 news). She is also urging all of us to vote Heath into the Pro Bowl: "Hi Everyone, If you could please go on the Pro-bowl site and vote, I would appreciate your help as these players have been a tremendous help for breast cancer research. Please let them know that we are grateful for all the good they do on and off the field." Please vote for: Alan Faneca: New York Jets-Listed under Guards Heath Miller: Pittsburgh Steelers- Listed under Tight Ends. Brett Keisel: Pittsburgh Steelers-Listed under Defensive Ends Alan Faneca hosted the event in years past, while playing for the Steelers. Heath Miller and his wife took over for the Faneca's this year, but Alan and his wife did return to Pittsburgh to attend the event this year. To read more about the Glimmer of Hope Foundation click here. Thanks to Diana for her email! October 29, 2008 The Miller's help battle breast cancer
Heath and Katie Miller did their part in the fight against breast cancer when they hosted Bid for Hope VII at the Jerome Bettis Grille 36. One of the highlights of the event for those who attend is the opportunity to get autographs from Miller and some of his Steelers teammates. Among the many players who attended this year were Hines Ward, Ben Roethlisberger, Brett Keisel, Max Starks and Marvel Smith. The event benefits Glimmer of Hope, a foundation that is committed to raising funds for breast cancer research and finding a cure. "It's such a common disease that odds are everyone in our locker room knows some one or is related to someone who has been affected by it," said Miller, who has a cousin who successfully battled the disease. "It’s definitely something that money needs to be raised for, research need to be done and we need to find a way to deal with it." To read the entire article, click here. To view more pictures of Heath at the event, click here. Also... Check out the right side of this page, under Miller Covers to see Heath as the Reebok Man. Thanks to Erin, of Big Ben News, for sending the Reebok advertisement. She found it in the new ESPNshop.com catalog. October 28, 2008 Heath hosts Bid for Hope VII
Heath and his wife, Katie hosted the Glimmer of Hope-Bid for Hope VII event last night. It was held at Jerome Bettis' Grille 36. The event benefits breast cancer research. Many of Heath's teammates attended, along with ex-teammate Alan Faneca and his family. The Faneca's hosted the event while Alan played for the Steelers. The event had an autograph signing session and a silent raffle, along with plenty of food! To read more about the foundation, click here. To view pictures of Heath at the event, click here. Then click on the Glimmer of Hope album. October 27, 2008 Steelers defeated by Giants.October 27, 2008 Giants 21, Steelers 14 As injuries continue to mount for the Steelers, they were unable to comeback to beat the Giants Sunday at Heinz Field. Longsnapper, Greg Warren, left the game and a bad snap by his replacement, James Harrison proved how important Warren is to the team. The Giants got a safety and the momentum. The offense stalled throughout the gamem but Heath did have three receptions for fifty-two yards. He also had a HUGE tackle which led to the Steelers first score by Moore. To read more about the game, click here. Reminder... ...Heath and his wife are hosting Bid for Hope VII tonight. I will post any pictures I see from it. And... ...Keep voting for Heath for the Pro Bowl-see the October 15 news to find out how to vote. October 22, 2008-evening update Winner in the "Test Your Miller Knowledge" contest!I have a winner in the contest. The winner is Jeff from Wytheville, Virginia! Congratulations to Jeff. The answers to the questions: 1. University of Virginia 2. Baseball and basketball 3. Quarterback or safety 4. Bid For Hope VII 5. John Mackey award The response to the contest was overwhelming! Heath certainly has a great fan base. I will do more contests like this in the future so be sure the check back. Also.. ...I want to thank Christian at My Cav for promoting the contest and for their support of this site. Be sure to check out My Cav for information and news on University of Virginia graduates. Reminder... ...Be sure you are getting your votes in to send Heath to the Pro Bowl! See the October 15 news to see how. October 22, 2008 Happy Birthday to Heath!
Heath celebrates his birthday today, and one lucky fan gets to celebrate also. Test your Miller knowledge! The fifth person to email me with the CORRECT answers to the questions below will win: A Heath Miller jersey-complete with the Superbowl insignia A 2008 Steelers Year Book Jim Wexell's book-Steeler Nation Set of 2006 Steelers football cards The questions: 1. What college did Heath attend? 2. Name two other sports, besides football that Heath participated in during high school-as mentioned on this site. 3. Name one football position Heath played in high school-as mentioned on this site. 4. Name the event Heath is hosting this month. 5. What prestigious award did Heath win in college? The questions are not tough, and all the answers are on this site! So, start searching! The answers MUST be emailed to the address on this site. Click here for my email address. Please do NOT submit entries through the MySpace page. Once I have a winner, I will post their name and the answers. Good luck! October 19, 2008 Steelers dominate Bengals-again
Steelers 38, Bengals 10 The Steelers have not lost to the Bengals in Cincinnati since 2001. This trend would not end today. The Steelers took on the Bengals at Paul Brown stadium. I was able to attend the game, as were thousands of Steelers fans. The Steelers took an early 10-0 lead, but the Bengals came back and brought the score to 17-10. The Steelers then took control of the game. Mewelde Moore ended up with his first 100-yard game of the season, and the defense recorded seven sacks. Miller had two receptions for a total of thirteen yards. Once again, he was used as a blocker. I will post game pictures as I find them, and once I sort through the ones I took today I will post them. Be sure to check out the previous news story regarding the Pro Bowl! October 15, 2008 Attention Miller fans: Send Heath to his first Pro Bowl
Voting for the 2009 Pro Bowl is underway! Fans are able to vote to send their favorite player to sunny Honolulu in February! The Pro Bowl pits the best players from the AFC against the best from the NFC. Fans, players and coaches vote to determine rosters. We, as fans get to contribute one-third of the votes to determine which players get the honor to play in the Pro Bowl! Let's do our part and vote Heath in! Vote for Heath here. Once on the Pro bowl ballot site, click on Tight Ends. You can vote as many times as you want, so vote often! Also: Heath's birthday is coming up. I will be posting a contest to win Miller and Steelers gear on his birthday. It's up to you to find his birthdate and check in on that day. FYI: Be sure to check out the Events section on the right side of this page. Heath and his wife are hosting Bid for Hope VII on October 27. Ticket information is listed also.
October 6, 2008 Miller scores his first TD of the seasonFinal score: Steelers 26, Jaguars 21
The Steelers faced off against the Jaguars for Sunday night football. The Steelers have been plagued by injuries. QB Ben Roethlisberger was listed as questionable due to a shoulder injury. He did not practice until Friday, and was still limited during that practice. The Jaguars defense were prepared to pounce all over an injury depleted Steelers offense. That was not to be though. As the Steelers do, they replaced their injured players and regrouped to form a solid offense. After an early interception thrown by Roethlisberger, the Steelers offense took control of the game. Ben connected with Heath for six, giving Miller his first TD of the season. Heath ended the game with five receptions for a total of 45 yards. Miller was also one of the Steelers main offensive blockers. The Jags went ahead in the fourth quarter, but Ben and the offense came back to score what would be the winning TD. The Steelers defense held strong, sacking Jags quarterback David Garrard and forcing incomplete passes to end the game. The Steelers enter their bye week 4-1 and first in the AFC North. With the injuries we have, the bye week comes at a great time! To view pictures of Heath from tonight's game. click here. October 3, 2008 Miller may have big game vs. Jags
This weeks game against the Jaguars may be a big game for Heath. He has done well against the Jags in the past, and it seems Jacksonville is still having problems covering tight ends. From Charlie Bernstein of JagNation.com: Q: The Jags seem to have a problem covering TE's. Do you see a big night for Heath Miller? A: I can't remember any time in the team's history where they were able to cover good or even average tight ends. Heath Miller is a major mismatch as he can beat any of the Jaguars linebackers or safeties I can easily see 100+ yards from Miller including one or two trips in the end zone. The game is Sunday night at 8:15 p.m. on NBC. FYI... ...I received my copy of Jim Wexell's book, Steeler Nation, and I recommend it for any Steelers fan! See the September 23 news for information on ordering it. Also...I located a picture from the Ravens game. To view all pictures click, here. September 30, 2008 Steelers defeat Ravens in OTThe Steelers defeated AFC North division opponent, Baltimore Ravens in overtime 23-20. As QB Ben Roethlisberger said, "it wasn't pretty, but it's a win." Things were looking dismal the entire first half, but a pivotal penalty in the second half by the Ravens got the Steelers back in the game. Roethlisberger connected with OSU alum Santonio Holmes for a TD, and then our defense made a huge play. Harrison caused a fumble, and Woodley returned it for a touchdown. The Ravens mounted a comeback and tied the score. The game went into overtime and the crowd quieted as the Ravens won the coin toss. As the announcers were commenting that so far this season every team who won the toss ended up winning the game, our defense stopped the Ravens. The Steelers offense then got into field goal range, and Jeff Reed took care of the win. The Steelers lost many players to injuries, including Kendall Simmons, running backs Rashard Mendenhall and Carey Davis and linebackers Keyaron Fox and Andre Frazier. Simmons and Mendenhall were lost for the season, both being placed on IR. The Steelers have reportedly signed Najah Davenport back to the team. Miller watch... ...Heath had 2 receptions for a total of eight yards. He may see more action this week since our running game may be limited due to injuries. If I locate any pictures of Heath from the game, I will post them. September 23, 2008 Book Alert: Heath in Steeler Nation book
Jim Wexell's book, Steeler Nation: A Pittsburgh Team, An American Phenomenon has been released! Wexell's book is described as, "the trip every Steelers fan would love to make." About the book... ...The book tells the tale of a six-week football road trip that swung south from Pittsburgh through Atlanta and Mobile, west through New Orleans, Phoenix and Los Angeles, north to Seattle, and then back east through Yellowstone Park, Denver, St. Louis and Cincinnati. The trip covered nearly 10,000 miles as Wexell talked to Steelers fans, players, ex-players, as well as their family, friends and rivals, while the Steelers played their way to a division championship. The author found fans in the most remote outposts of the country and he walked in the footsteps of the current Pittsburgh Steelers. The lives of 19 current Steelers are examined, including James Harrison, Heath Miller, Willie Parker, Lawrence Timmons, Hines Ward, Ike Taylor, Casey Hampton, Troy Polamalu, Brett Keisel, Aaron Smith, and Ben Roethlisberger, and the result is plenty of fresh information about the group that made up the core of the 2005 championship team. Along with pre-game tailgates and post-game interviews, included in Wexell’s trip are visits with the greatest Steelers bars and fans in the country, and interviews with former Steelers greats such as Greg Lloyd, who discusses his past, present and future with typical Lloyd passion. Ready to order?... ...click here ! Also... ...Kare sent us some more pictures of Heath! Click here to see them. They are in the Fan Shots album. Thanks again to Kare for sharing her pictures! FYI-In case you are new to the site, or you are a regular who wants to reread a News story. I have moved some of the older stories to the Archives page. You can click on Archives at the top of this page to view them.
September 21, 2008 Steelers defeated by Eagles 15-6
The Steelers suffered their first loss tonight. The Eagles defense swarmed all over Ben Roethlisberger and sacked him numerous times. Ben was injured late during the fourth quarter, and left the game. Early reports say his hand was injured but X-rays were negative. More tests will be run. Leftwich came in to replace Ben and connected with Heath for a 21 yard gain late in the game. Heath ended the game with four receptions for a total of 63 yards. The longest reception was 21 yards. To read more about the game, click here. And... ...to see Heath in action tonight, click here. September 19, 2008 Heath Miller: the 'big moment' guyFrom Behind the Steel Curtain : As Jim Wexell pointed out in our most recent interview with him, there just may not be enough plays to get Heath Miller the ball as some might like. But that still doesn't diminish what he brings to the Steelers offense as a run-blocker, decoy, and occassional pass-catching threat. Miller's huge catch late in the 4th quarter against Cleveland all but iced the game for us, and I hope that play was indicative of how Bruce Arians plans to use him moving forward: i.e. in big moments. LJ Smith is no slouch either for Philly. He's got 6 catches so far and 1 TD. McNabb will often look his way in the redzone, as evidenced by his healthy 13 TD catches over the three year span from 2004-2006. But I don't think he's as complete a player as Miller. And the guys below him on the depth chart aren't as versatile as Matt Spaeth is either. I think we may need to look Miller and Spaeth's way a few more times this week to contend with all the kamikaze blitz looks that Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Johnson. September 18, 2008 The Steelers are 2-0
The Steelers are 2-0 and continued their dominance of the AFC North last weekend. They defeated the Browns-AGAIN. The final score was 10-6. In a game where questions surrounded QB Ben Roethlisberger's shoulder, and high winds dominated the field, the Steelers once again defeated the Browns. Heath had two receptions for 33 yards. His longest reception was 19 yards. Heath also was a key blocker for the Steelers offense. More than one comment was made about his exceptional blocking abilities. Now it's on to the Eagles this week! Game photos... ...can be seen here. And... ...I apologize for the long delay in updates. We experienced the remnants of Hurricane Ike this weekend, and I was without electric for four days. Hopefully the power will stay on now! Thanks for your patience. September 10, 2008 On the sidelines with Heath Miller
Teresa Varley, from Steelers.com spent some time talking with Heath. This story helps us get an idea of the things Heath does off the field. From the article... Steelers fans have taken tight end Heath Miller into their hearts thanks to the big plays he makes on the field. When he makes a catch, you hear them all yell out “Heeeeath” in unison. But there are others whose heart Miller has captured. Those in the Pittsburgh community and his hometown who need a helping hand. Miller doesn't like to make a fuss when he is out lending a hand. He quietly went to the Light of Life Rescue Mission last Thanksgiving and while cameras were rolling in one room, he was in another talking to the men who are part of the program there. He did a football camp in his hometown Swords Creek, Virginia this offseason to give kids a chance to learn football skills from an NFL player. The camp was designed to teach a wide variety of fundamentals, techniques and drills, including speed and agility development techniques along with core football drills. Miller also is hosting Bid for Hope this year, an event that benefits A Glimmer of Hope, a breast cancer research organization. He also has lent a hand to Project Bundle-Up by hosting a miniature golf tournament, hosts kids from Variety the Children’s Charity at training camp and assists with the Urban Impact Football Camp. Miller talks about his start in football, community efforts and different topics in this installment of On the Sidelines. To read what Heath has to say, click here. Also... ...I added a couple pictures Kare sent me of Heath. Click here to see them. They are in the Fan Shots album. Thanks so much to Kare for sharing them! September 8, 2008 Attention University of Virginia fans
Most of us know Heath attended the University of Virginia. He was a star tight end there before being drafted by the Steelers. But, do you know who else went to University of Virginia? Athletes Tiki Barber and Chris Long both were Cavaliers. Celebrities Tina Fey and Katie Couric also attended UVA! To view the profiles of UVA attendees, past and present visit My Cav. This site is dedicated to Virginia Cavalier fans. Click here to check out the site. September 7, 2008 Steelers dominate Texans
The Steelers began the game dominating the Texans, and that never stopped in their 38-17 win! Willie Parker ran for three touchdowns, and Hines Ward scored the other two TD's. Jeff Reed added a field goal. The Steelers dominated on defense, offense, and special teams through the whole game. Heath had three receptions for 26 yards, with 11 yards being the longest reception. QB Ben Roethlisberger spread the ball around to his receivers and tight ends all day. Miller spent a lot of the game throwing blocks for his teammates. To see pictures of Heath from the game, click here. They are in the 2008 preseason and regular season album.
September 6, 2008 Steelers football is back!The Steelers begin their season Sunday. They tackle the Texans at Heinz Field. The game will air for some viewers on CBS, and you can also catch the audio feed on the internet here. Just click on Listen Live. And.. ...Charlie Bernstein, at Scout.com looks for Heath to be an integral part of the offense tomorrow: Look for a TD by Heath Miller. Miller is one of the top-five tight ends in the league, and the Steelers will likely lean on him. Look for Roethlisberger to find Miller at least once in the end zone. Go #83!!! Go Steelers!!!
September 4, 2008 New career for Miller....
...No, not for now. He's pretty busy being the lead tight end for the Steelers. But, it sounds like he has a job opening in the Mayor's office if he ever chooses: Recently, Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl talked with Steelers.com. When asked what member of the current Steelers team he would choose for his Chief of Staff, Mayor Ravenstahl said: "I am going to say Heath Miller. He seems like an even-keeled kind of guy, he is extremely intelligent and he would fit the role." To read the entire article, click here. And... ... Heath commented on Ben Roethlisberger being elected as team co-captain (along with Hines Ward) of the offense. Miller told Ed Bouchette, of the Post Gazette: "You can tell that he realizes this is his team." To read the article, click here. September 1, 2008 New photo albums added
I have added some new albums to the photo gallery. To view them click here. I am still in the process of adding photos, so check back. We're on countdown now...to the thrashing of the Texans! August 28, 2008 Steelers defeat Panthers 19-16The Steelers concluded preseason play with a win over the Panthers. Jeff Reed saved the game again, by kicking a game winning field goal as time expired. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, as I am sure no one wanted to see this game go into overtime. Tomlin played the offensive starters sparingly, and most were out before the first quarter ended. More about the game from Ed Bouchette, of the Post Gazette : Jeff Reed kicked a 43-yard field goal with no time left to lift the Steelers to a 19-16 victory over the Carolina Panthers tonight at Heinz Field, ending their preseason schedule at 3-1. The Panthers had tied the game 16-16 with 1:54 left on a 19-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Brett Basanez to Chris Hannon. The Steelers led the Carolina Panthers 16-6 after three quarters of their final exhibition game in Heinz Field tonight. Jeff Reed kicked his fourth field goal of the game, from 41 yards, for the only score in the quarter. He also missed one wide right from 43 yards. The Steelers led the Panthers 13-6 at halftime. The team's traded field goals in the second quarter: Jeff Reed kicked his third of the half, from 49 yards, and John Kasay of Carolina kicked his second, from 33 yards. The Steelers took a 10-3 lead at the end of the first quarter against Carolina before a sparse audience at the North Shore stadium. John Kasay kicked a 32-yard field goal for Carolina. The Steelers scored on Carey Davis' 6-yard run and Jeff Reed's 41-yard field goal. Heath had some blocks during the game, but did not play long since it was the final preseason game. We don't have long until we see Miller in action during a regular season game! August 28, 2008 Heath stays humble
From Tim Hayes, of the Bristol Herald Courier Heath Miller (Honaker) is entering his fourth season with the Pittsburgh Steelers and has emerged as one of the NFL’s best tight ends. Last season was the best of his career, as he caught 47 passes for 566 yards and seven scores and continued to uphold his reputation as a top blocker. However, he’s staying humble. “I try to look at it as my total game,” Miller told the Washington (Pa.) Observer-Reporter. “It would be unrealistic of me to say that I want to catch 70 balls. I just know that there are certain things that I can’t control. The things I can control are the things I worry about.” Miller has caught three passes for 30 yards in three preseason games. Also... ...the MySpace page is working now! Thank you to Erin, of Big Ben News for her help with setting it up! And... ...I have added some new albums to the photo gallery. Click here to view them!
August 25, 2008 Steelers top VikingsJeff Reed saved the night for the Steelers by kicking the game winning field goal. Actually, Reed scored ALL the points for the Steelers in the 12-10 victory. Heath caught 3 passes for 30 yards. The first team offense played until halftime Also... ....the photo gallery is being updated daily so be sure to check back often! The MySpace page is about ready too. The Steelers play their final preseason game August 28 vs. the Panthers. Game time is at 7:00 p.m.. The game will air on FSN-Pittsburgh and KDKA. Note of congratulations... ...to all the Olympic athletes! The USA was represented well, and we are proud of all of the participants! Way to go! August 22, 2008 Five questions with Heath Miller
From ESPN's James Walker : The AFC North version of the Blog Network caught up with Pittsburgh Steelers starting tight end Heath Miller to discuss, among other things, his favorite part of training camp and whether his offensive line gets a bad rap. 1. How did you spend your offseason? Heath Miller: I took it easy this offseason. I had a few weekend getaways. It's always nice to get back home, which is in the southwestern part of Virginia. I made it back there a couple times and went to a few weddings. I think it's that time in my life when all of my buddies are getting married. But other than that, I just took it easy. 2. What's the best and worst part of training camp? HM: The best part is probably the ice cream after dinner (laughs). The worst part is just the length of it. 3. So are you a proponent of shortening the preseason? It would probably come at the expense of a 17-game regular season. HM: I think the regular season is definitely long enough. Sixteen games, that's a good amount, especially throughout Week 12 or 13 when it starts to take its toll on your body a little bit. So, no, I wouldn't trade it for lengthening the regular season. 4. Do you see any similarities between this year's team and Pittsburgh's Super Bowl team in 2005? HM: You know, I think it's a little too early to tell. We definitely have the pieces, but there's a lot of teams throughout this league that can say they have the pieces at this point of the year. It's all about putting it together during camp, being on the same page, and then playing in stride at the right time like you've seen the past few years. That is what's got it done. 5. Does the offensive line deserve the bad rap it's getting this summer? HM: I think some of it is unfair. What a lot of people don't understand is pass protection involves the whole unit, whether it be a tight end protecting or a tight end on a hot route, or a back protecting or a back on a hot route. At the same time, the quarterback has to be on the same page with everybody. So I think just putting the whole thing on the offensive line is unfair. FYI... ......the Steelers play Minnesota tomorrow night. The game is set to be televised on CBS at 8:00 p.m. Coach Tomlin said the starters will probably play at least half of the game. ......and the preseason game vs. the Panthers has changed times. It will now start at 7:00 p.m. instead of 7:30 p.m.
August 12, 2008 Miller spends time with Variety-The Children's Charity
Heath and teammates took some time after practice to meet children from Variety. The players spent time talking with the kids, posing for pictures and signing autographs. "That is what I like to do the most, be able to interact with the kids and see the excitement on their face, said tight end Heath Miller. If you are able to bring a smile to their face you know they enjoyed watching practice, that means something to you." FYI... I am still in the process of updating the site. The Photo Gallery and MySpace page are under construction, and will be available soon! August 11, 2008 Heath Miller Fan Site
Welcome to the Heath Miller Fan Site! I am in the process of updating the site and adding articles and pictures, so be sure to keep checking back! August 8, 2008 Steelers kick the preseason off with a win
The Steelers played their first preseason game of the 2008 season tonight. They defeated the Philadelphia Eagles by a score of 16-10. Roethlisberger led the first team offense down the field on the opening drive of the game. The drive ended with a TD pass to Santonio Holmes. The first team offense and defense saw very limited play. The back-ups and rookies got the most playing time, and unfortunately back-up quarterback Charlie Batch was injured. Early reports say he broke his collarbone and could miss at least one month. More news on the game is available in the Team News section. June 27, 2008 Heath Miller Mini-Golf Classic Raises Money For WTAE's Project Bundle-Up
The annual Heath Miller Mini-Golf Classic, proudly sponsored by Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield and RMU Island Sports Center, raised $14,000 on Wednesday night to benefit Salvation Army and Project Bundle-Up. "This is one of the events that, as players, is one of the most rewarding things we do during the year in the community," said Miller, the Pittsburgh Steelers' tight end. "So this just excites me to know that all these people are as encouraged and as enthused as we are." The event, held at RMU Island Sports Center on Neville Island, will help keep area children and senior citizens warm this winter. Read more. To view photos from the event, click here. Then click on the Heath Miller Mini Golf Outing album. |
Snap Shots
Good times with the Lombardi! This photo was taken after the Steelers won SB XLIII. It was Miller's second SB win. To see more Super Bowl photos, click here. DisclaimerThis is an unofficial site on Heath Miller. For more information, click here. Events and AppearancesSteelers Style Fashion Show October 8, 2009 Heath will be co-hosting with Ike Taylor. Many of his teammates and their families will also be "walking the runway." More info, and to purchase tickets click: here. Bid for Hope October 19, 2009 Heath and his wife, Katie will once again be hosting the event to benefit breast cancer awareness. Heath will be joined by several teammates at the event! For more information and to purchase tickets, click here. Miller-Pro Bowl 2010
Let's send Heath to his first Pro Bowl! Click here to vote! Then click on AFC Offense and then on Tight Ends. Be sure to vote often, and spread the word to others to Send Miller to Miami! Miller ChatterBen Roethlisberger talks about Heath's new contract: "When Heath first got here I told him I think we are going to be here together for a long time and we are. To me Heath does not get even close to the credit he deserves. He is one of the best, if not the best, all-around tight ends in the game. He doesn't get that credit because he doesn’t put up the big numbers. If you ask anybody that goes against him or anybody on this team, anybody that knows tight ends they will tell you how good he is." "He was very deserving of what he got. I am glad he is gong to be with me for a long time. He is a pretty good player." Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger: "He is the best tight end in football." Steelers safety Troy Polamalu: "Heath, to me, is the most complete tight end in the NFL. He can block and he catches everything." Steelers offensive coordinator, Bruce Arians: "Pro bowls have nothing to do with the best tight ends going to the Pro Bowl," Arians said. "It's the guy with the most catches who goes. Those are glorified wide receivers. I've said it every year, Heath's the best tight end in the AFC." Miller Covers
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