The Pittsburgh Steelers drafted Ben Roethlisberger in the first round of the 2004 NFL Draft. Roethlisberger had a phenomenal rookie season that culminated with a loss in the AFC Championship game to an all too familiar opponent the New England Patriots. The following season looking for a security blanket for the second-year signal caller, they drafted Heath Miller with the 13th pick in the 2005 NFL Draft.
PITTSBURGH, PA - OCTOBER 30: Heath Miller #83 of the Pittsburgh Steelers runs with the ball against the New England Patriots at Heinz Field on October 30, 2011 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Miller and Roethlisberger were a dynamic duo for 11 seasons together. Miller made two Pro Bowl appearances and might be one of the most underrated players in NFL history. He is beloved in Pittsburgh and for years after he retired the ‘Heath’ chant lived on with every tight end who wore black and gold.
The Steelers have established a new connection in 2022. Kenny Pickett has found his security blanket in Pat Freiermuth and the two appear to have a bright future together. The Pitt Panthers and Penn State Nittany Lions don’t like each other, but this duo has put collegiate rivalry aside and is building a rapport that should benefit Pittsburgh for a long time. The budding combo did not escape Ben Roethlisberger’s attention on Episode 18 of his Footbahlin With Ben Roethlisberger Podcast.
“It’s just what you need to happen,” Roethlisberger said about the final drive on Christmas Eve against the Raiders. “It’s Pat Freiermuth making plays and Kenny scrambling around. It reminded me a lot of what I would do. You find your guy, you find Heath Miller, you find AB, you find Hines. Whoever that person is in crunch time, you scramble and find them.”
Roethlisberger had multiple go-to receivers in his career but during their tenure together, whenever they needed a big catch it seemed like the future Hall of Famer could always rely on his tight end, Miller. He wasn’t the athlete that Freiermuth is, but he was a superior blocker who never came off the field and was just as happy to clear a path for Willie Parker as he was catching a key first down in the fourth quarter.
Photo Credit: Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
“Kenny and Pat are playing ball. Call it backyard but they are,” Roethlisberger continued. “Kenny’s getting out of the pocket, making things happen. Pat’s breaking his route off doing whatever it is. All of a sudden, he’s got two or three big catches and it’s not like Pat catches and goes down, it’s a catch and rumble three, four, five, ten, 12 yards onto it.”
Roethlisberger was the king of improvisation on the football field. He was nearly impossible to bring down and until Todd Haley’s arrival would absorb huge shots, shake them off and scramble out of the pocket and find receivers downfield almost routinely. He wasn’t the most elusive quarterback in the NFL, but he was routinely the hardest one to bring down.
“I think if you watch the beginning half of the season,” Roethlisberger concluded about Pickett. “He’s scrambling out not looking downfield, he scrambled and just tried to run. The last couple weeks for him is encouraging. He’s going to get out of the pocket and let his boys do the work.”
The Steelers’ all-time leading passer often maneuvered himself out of trouble behind the line of scrimmage but rarely took off when he did. Pickett is a better pure runner of the football than Roethlisberger, but he has already sustained two concussions in his young career so finding his playmakers downfield is a necessary evolution for the rookie.
Pickett’s performance against the Las Vegas Raiders and Baltimore Ravens on game-winning drives is a necessity in Pittsburgh. They seemingly only played one-score games and Roethlisberger was adept at winning games late.
Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth catches a pass from Kenny Pickett / Photo Credit: Matt Pendleton-USA TODAY Sports
The regular season finale was a two-score affair against the Cleveland Browns but 2023 just might hinge on how many times Pickett can find his go-to guy late in games. If Pickett and Freiermuth really are the second coming of Roethlisberger and Miller, that is an appealing prospect for the Steelers.
What do you think Steeler Nation? Is Pickett to Freiermuth going to echo into Steelers' History? Please comment below or on my Twitter @thebubbasq.
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