Seven years ago, on February 19, 2016, Pittsburgh Steelers' fan-favorite tight end, Heath Miller hung up his cleats and shoulder pads. In his 11 years with the Steelers, Miller gave everything to the black and gold. He was the team's first-round draft pick in the 2005 NFL Draft and the rest was history. Miller started all regular season games that he played in, but one. He started every playoff game that he played in and his 168 games played as a tight end are currently the most in franchise history.
Justin K. Aller | Credit: Getty Images
Pittsburgh Steelers tight end, Heath Miller.
It was a beautiful thing to hear when Miller caught a pass, you could hear the "HEEAATTHHH" chants from miles away at Acrisure Stadium, formerly known as Heinz Field. Miller, being the humble guy that he always has been, decided to just release a statement announcing that he was stepping away from the game he loves:
"Today, I informed the Steelers of my plans to retire," Miller's statement read via Steelers.com. "I realize how extremely fortunate and grateful I am to have spent my entire career as a Pittsburgh Steeler. I would like to thank the Rooney Family, Kevin Colbert, Bill Cowher, Mike Tomlin, James Daniel and the rest of the Steelers organization for giving me the opportunity to live out my childhood dream. I will always cherish and value the special bonds that I formed with my teammates. It was truly an honor for me to take the field with them. I am also appreciative of my entire family and all of the coaches who helped me along the way."
"Additionally, I want to thank Steelers Nation, the best fans in the NFL. Lastly, I owe the biggest thank you to my wife, Katie, and our four children for their unwavering support."
A sad day in Steelers' history it was. Fan-favorite doesn't even do it justice to show how much Steeler Nation loved their hard-nosed, sure-handed tight end. Steelers head coach, Mike Tomlin discussed how the way Miller approached the game and carried himself embodies everything that is Steelers' football.
PITTSBURGH, PA - DECEMBER 20: Tight end Heath Miller #83 of the Pittsburgh Steelers tries to elude safety David Bruton, Jr., of the Denver Broncos during a game at Heinz Field on December 20, 2015 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Steelers defeated the Broncos 34-27.
Photo by George Gojkovich/Getty Images
"It's been an honor and a pleasure to coach him, to watch him grow and evolve and perform," said Tomlin after Miller's retirement. "To watch him grow in every way. To watch his sons get old enough to come to work with him on a Saturday morning and see those relationships. He is not low maintenance, he has been no maintenance. He has always put the Pittsburgh Steelers first in every aspect of his professional life. I don't know that I can describe that. I don't know if there has been a guy that I have been around that is like him from an unselfish standpoint. Largely and in every instance, we are all human, we all fall short. I don't know if I have ever seen a regrettable moment in him. That just speaks to who he is."
A Steelers Teammate Like No Other
Earlier this month, Miller sat down with Bob Pompeani, the sports director/anchor from KDKA in Pittsburgh. He was able to discuss the bond he has with former Steelers' QB1 and first-ballot Hall of Famer, Ben Roethlisberger. In the interview, Miller also discussed why Roethlisberger was the toughest player he ever knew. With Roethlisberger as his quarterback, Miller snagged 545 receptions for 5,974 yards and 42 touchdowns in a total of 149 career games together. Roethlisberger had a lot to say about Miller when he announced his retirement 7 years ago.
George Gojkovich/Getty Images
PITTSBURGH, PA - SEPTEMBER 28: Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger #7 of the Pittsburgh Steelers talks to tight end Heath Miller #83 during a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Heinz Field on September 28, 2014, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Buccaneers defeated the Steelers 27-24.
"To put together a statement is hard because where do you start with Heath Miller," said Roethlisberger. "For someone like me that has been blessed to play with someone like him, not just from a physical standpoint of how great of a football player he was, but the type of person he was, the type of teammate he was. Probably hands down the best teammate I have been a part of."
"It's hard to talk about Heath, and I said this talking to him, it's hard to do it without getting emotional. That's how much he has meant to me as a football player, teammate and friend. I have been so lucky and blessed to have Heath around my whole career, 11 years. To have someone like him on my side has truly been a blessing."
What are some of yinz favorite memories of Heath Miller in the black and gold? Will we ever see a player as beloved by a fan base as Steeler Nation loved Miller? Sound off in the comment section below, or on Facebook, Twitter, and/or Instagram!
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