Steelers TE Miller retiring after 11 seasons

Associated Press

PITTSBURGH

Heath Miller stood at his locker last month, the sting of a playoff loss at Denver still fresh in the Pittsburgh Steelers tight end’s mind.

The thought of going through the process all over again was too much to consider.

“I don’t know,” the ever polite Miller said when asked if he would return in 2016. “At this point, I’ve always said take it one year at a time and we go from there.”

Even with a team he felt on the cusp of another Super Bowl, even with another $4 million due in 2016, Miller chose to stay home with wife Katie and their four children. Miller retired in typically understated fashion Friday, ending an 11-year career featuring a pair of NFL championships while winning over his teammates and an ardent fan base with his work ethic and reliability.

No news conference. Just a call to the Steelers and a simple statement.

“I will always cherish and value the special bonds that I formed with my teammates,” Miller wrote. “It was truly an honor for me to take the field with them.”

The 33-year-old finishes with 592 career receptions, 6,569 yards receiving and 45 touchdowns, all franchise marks for a tight end. The two-time Pro Bowler’s reception total is sixth most by a tight end in league history.

“Heath Miller was as great a combination of character and football player as I have ever been around,” general manager Kevin Colbert said. “Heath helped us win many games, including two Super Bowl championships, while also being an important part of our community.”

The Steelers drafted Miller 30th overall in 2005. He quickly developed chemistry with Ben Roethlisberger, the quarterback often calling Miller the best teammate he’s ever had at any level. In an era when most tight ends were either primarily blockers or oversized wide receivers, Miller was both.

Highly durable, Miller missed just eight games over 11 seasons. Every reception he made at Heinz Field — and more than a few on the road — met with a roar of “Heeeeath.” He remained an important part of Pittsburgh’s high-powered offense in recent years even with wide receiver Antonio Brown and running back Le’Veon Bell developing into All-Pros.

Miller caught 60 passes for 535 yards and two scores in 2015 while also serving as a mentor to rookie Jesse James, who credited Miller with teaching him how to be a professional.

“It’s hard to find reps when you’re playing behind a guy like Heath,” James said. “He’s seen it all. But he helped build confidence in myself, and the team in me.”

That’s what Miller did, and why his decision had his name trending on Twitter minutes after it was announced. The Steelers launched a #ThankYouHEEEATH campaign on Friday afternoon, an ironically new school way to show appreciation for an old school player who would have fit right in on the Super Steelers of the 1970s.