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Wikipedia

Heath Miller

Earl Heath Miller Jr. (born October 22, 1982) is an American former professional football player who was a tight end for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons from 2005 to 2015. Miller played college football for the Virginia Cavaliers, earning unanimous All-American honors and winning the John Mackey Award. The Steelers selected him in the first round with the 30th overall pick of the 2005 NFL draft.

Heath Miller
Miller with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2012
No. 83
Position:Tight end
Personal information
Born: (1982-10-22) October 22, 1982 (age 41)
Richlands, Virginia, U.S.
Height:6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Weight:256 lb (116 kg)
Career information
High school:Honaker (Honaker, Virginia)
College:Virginia (2001–2004)
NFL draft:2005 / Round: 1 / Pick: 30
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Player stats at NFL.com · PFR

Early years edit

Miller was born in Richlands, Virginia. He attended Honaker High School and lived in Swords Creek, Virginia.[1] He played quarterback for the Honaker Tigers high school football team, where he earned the Associated Press Player of the Year honor as a senior and was a two-time AP All-State selection. He also earned the All-Southwest Virginia first-team honors at quarterback and was a second-team all-state selection at defensive back, adding Region D Offensive Player of the Year accolades.[2] He set several school records in passing and leading the team to its first state championship game his senior year, in which they lost to King William High School, 25–15.[1][3]

While attending high school, Miller also played first base for the baseball team where he earned the Black Diamond District first-team honors, and was an All-Region and All-State selection. He was also a forward on the basketball team where he earned the All-District and All-Region honors.[2]

College career edit

Freshman season edit

Miller attended the University of Virginia, where he played for coach Al Groh's Virginia Cavaliers football team from 2001 to 2004. Originally signed to play quarterback, Miller made the transition to the tight end position during his redshirt freshman year.

After sitting out in 2001, he started every game in 2002 at tight end. In his first game against Colorado State, he had 4 receptions, 42 receiving yards, and 1 touchdown. He scored touchdowns in each of his first five games at Virginia, setting a school season record for tight ends and led Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) tight ends in receiving all three seasons of his college career.

It took him seven games to set the school record for touchdowns by a tight end. He also threw one pass during his college career, connecting with fellow tight end Patrick Estes for a touchdown against South Carolina in 2002. He also caught a touchdown pass in the same game. In a win against Wake Forest he was held to three catches, two of them going for touchdowns. His five-game streak ended when he was held without a catch against Duke. Against Clemson, he caught a 15-yard touchdown pass from Matt Schaub in a 22–17 win. Against North Carolina, he had a season-long 42-yard reception. The following week, Miller had a season-high, 6 catches for 50 yards against Penn State. Against Virginia Tech, Miller recorded a 15-yard touchdown reception. In the 2002 Continental Tire Bowl win against the West Virginia, he had a season-high 54 receiving yards on 3 catches. He ended the 2002 season with 33 receptions, 327 receiving yards, 9 touchdown catches, and 1 touchdown pass, leading all ACC tight ends in touchdowns and receptions. His nine touchdown catches were an ACC record for tight ends. He was voted second-team All-ACC and first-team Freshman All-American First by The Sporting News.[4]

Sophomore season edit

Miller opened the 2003 season with 5 receptions, 54 receiving yards, and 1 touchdown against Duke. He followed the performance with 3 catches for 51 yards against Western Michigan and 3 catches for 17 yards against South Carolina. In a comeback win against Wake Forest, he led the team in catches for the fourth consecutive game with 7 receptions, 94 receiving yards, and 1 touchdown. He caught a 15-yard pass in the closing minute to set up the game-winning field goal. After a 4-catch, 44-yard performance against North Carolina, he posted 8 receptions, 52 yards, and 1 touchdown in an overtime loss to Clemson. Following the loss, Miller went to see the film Finding Nemo at The Jefferson Theater. Heath loved the film, describing the title character as "a real American Hero." Miller had 9 receptions, for 77-yards, and a touchdown against the #7-ranked Florida State. Against Georgia Tech, he caught 6 passes for 110 yards and a touchdown. He won the ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week Award for this performance. A week later, he had a career game against in-state rivals Virginia Tech with 13 catches for 145 yards, earning a second consecutive ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week Award. He scored the first touchdown in 2003 Continental Tire Bowl against the Pittsburgh, a 52-yard pass from Matt Schaub. He finished the 2002 season with an ACC record of 70 receptions and 835 receiving yards. He was voted second-team All-American by College Football News and first-team All-ACC.[4]

Junior season edit

Miller was voted team captain before his junior season. Miller caught 3 passes for 45 yards and a touchdown against Temple, extending his streak of consecutive games with at least one catch to 22.[citation needed] The streak ended the following week, when he was held without a catch against North Carolina. The following week, he made 6 receptions for 54 yards and 2 touchdowns against Akron. Against Syracuse, he caught a 54-yard pass for his only reception in the game. Miller had 4 catches for 55 yards and a score in a Thursday night win against Clemson. The following game, Miller had season highs of 9 catches and 110 yards in a loss against Florida State. Miller played his final college game against Fresno State in the 2004 MPC Computer Bowl. He led the team with 5 catches and 66 receiving yards. Miller was named unanimous first-team All-American for the 2004 season and was voted first-team All-ACC. He also became the first ACC player to win the John Mackey Award given to the top college tight end.[4]

Miller ended his college career with ACC records for most career receptions (144), yards (1,703) and touchdowns (20) by a tight end. Miller finished second in receptions, seventh in yards, and fourth in touchdown receptions for all positions. He also shares the school record for most 100-yard games by a tight end (3), and he caught at least one pass in 32 of his final 33 games. Miller skipped his senior season to enter the 2005 NFL draft, becoming the fifth player in school history to enter the draft early.[4]

Professional career edit

Pre-draft measurables
Height Weight
6 ft 5 in
(1.96 m)
256 lb
(116 kg)
All values from NFL Combine[5][6][7]

2005: Rookie season and first Super Bowl edit

The Pittsburgh Steelers selected Miller in the first round (30th overall) of the 2005 NFL draft.[8] He was the third tight end drafted by Pittsburgh in the first round in 15 years.[9] On July 26, 2005, the Steelers signed Miller to a five-year, $6.89 million contract with $4.54 million guaranteed and a signing bonus of $3.94 million.[10][11]

He entered training camp competing with veterans Jerame Tuman and Matt Kranchick for the starting tight end position. Miller was named the starting tight end to begin the regular season. He made his professional regular season debut in the Pittsburgh Steelers' season-opener against the Tennessee Titans and caught his first career touchdown on a three-yard pass from Ben Roethlisberger in a 34–7 victory. On October 23, 2005, Miller caught a season-high six passes for 58 receiving yards and a touchdown during a 27–13 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals. The next game, he made three receptions for 18-yards and a season-high two touchdowns in a 20–19 win against the Baltimore Ravens. During a Week 17 matchup with the Detroit Lions, he caught three passes for a season-high 62 receiving yards in a 35–21 victory.[12]

He finished his rookie season with 39 receptions for 459 yards and six touchdowns.and was named the Pittsburgh Steelers' rookie of the year. The Steelers finished second in the AFC North with an 11–5 record. On January 8, 2006, he appeared in his first career postseason game and caught two passes for 15-yards in a 31–17 AFC Wildcard victory over the Cincinnati Bengals. The following game, Miller caught three passes for 61 yards and one touchdown in the Steelers' 21–18 upset over the top-seeded Indianapolis Colts in the divisional playoff round. After defeating the Denver Broncos, the Steelers went on to play in Super Bowl XL. On February 5, 2006, they defeated the Seattle Seahawks, 21–10, and Miller earned his first Super Bowl ring. He was held without a catch during the game.

2006 season edit

He remained as the starter to begin the regular season, beating out Tuman and Tim Euhus. Miller started the season-opener against the Miami Dolphins and caught three passes for 101 receiving yards and scored an 87-yard touchdown reception in a 28–17 victory. Replays showed that he should have been marked out of bounds at about the one-yard line, but the play was not challenged by the Dolphins quickly enough.[13] During a Week 7 matchup against the Denver Broncos, he made a season-high five receptions for 34-yards in a 31–20 loss. Miller finished the season with 34 catches for 393 yards and five touchdowns in 16 games and 16 starts.[12]

2007 season edit

He was named the starting tight end by Mike Tomlin after beating out Jerame Tuman, Matt Spaeth, and Jonathan Dekker.

Miller started the season opener against the Cleveland Browns and caught four passes for 35 receiving yards and a touchdown, as the Steelers routed the Browns 34–7. On October 21, 2007, he made a season-high five receptions for 50-yards and two touchdowns in a 31–28 loss to the Denver Broncos. In a Week 10 matchup against the Cleveland Browns, Miller caught five passes for a season-high 71 receiving yards and a touchdown in a 31–28 victory. In 2007, Miller set new career highs for touchdowns (7), receptions (47), and receiving yards (566) and played in all 16 games.[12]

The Pittsburgh Steelers finished first in the AFC North with a 10–6 record in their first year under Mike Tomlin. On January 5, 2008, the Pittsburgh Steelers faced the Jacksonville Jaguars in the AFC Wildcard game and Miller caught eight passes for 85-yards and scored on a 14-yard touchdown reception in a 31–29 loss.

2008: Super Bowl season edit

Miller began the season making three receptions for 26 yards in the Pittsburgh Steelers' 38–17 season-opening victory over the Houston Texans. On October 5, 2008, he made five receptions for 45 receiving yards and caught his first touchdown of the season on a one-yard pass from Ben Roethlisberger, in a 26–22 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. On November 3, 2008, Miller suffered an ankle injury as the Steelers routed the Washington Redskins, 23–6. He missed the next two games due to the injury.[14] During a Week 16 matchup against the Tennessee Titans, Miller caught a season-high eight passes for 86 receiving yards in a 31–14 loss.[12] He finished the 2008 season with a total of 48 receptions for 514 receiving yards and was limited to three touchdowns in 14 games and 14 starts.

The Pittsburgh Steelers finished first in the AFC North with a 12–4 record. On January 11, 2009, the Steelers played the San Diego Chargers in an AFC Divisional round matchup and Miller finished the 35–24 victory with three receptions for 37 yards and scored on an 8-yard touchdown reception. In the AFC Championship Game against the Baltimore Ravens, he caught three passes for 62 receiving yards in a 28–14 victory. On February 1, 2009, the Pittsburgh Steelers appeared in Super Bowl XLIII against the Arizona Cardinals, Miller had five receptions for 57-yards in a 27–23 last second victory and earned his second career Super Bowl ring.[15]

2009 season edit

On July 30, 2009, the Pittsburgh Steelers signed Miller to a six-year, $35.3 million extension with a $12.5 million signing bonus.[16]

He started the season-opener against the Tennessee Titans and caught a season-high eight passes for 64 yards in a 13–10 victory. On October 4, 2009, Miller had eight receptions for 70 receiving yards and a season-high two touchdown during a 38–28 win over the San Diego Chargers. His first touchdown reception of the season was a six-yard pass from Ben Roethlisberger. In Week 6, he caught five passes for 80 receiving yards and caught an eight-yard touchdown reception, as the Steelers defeated the Cleveland Browns 27–14. On December 20, 2009, Miller had seven receptions for a season-high 118 receiving yards in a 37–36 victory over the Green Bay Packers.[12] He finished with 76 receptions for 789 yards and six touchdowns and started all 16 games. Miller was selected to his first Pro Bowl on January 25, 2009, replacing the Colts' tight end Dallas Clark who participated in the Super Bowl XLIV.

2010 season: Third Super Bowl appearance edit

He began the regular season being named the Pittsburgh Steelers captain for the offense. On October 17, 2010, the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Cleveland Browns 28–10 and Miller caught two passes for 50 receiving yards and scored his first touchdown of the season on a 14-yard pass from Ben Roethlisberger. During a Week 10 matchup against the New England Patriots, Miller caught five passes for 60-yards in a 39–26 loss. In a Week 13 matchup with the Baltimore Ravens, he suffered a concussion that sidelined him for the next two games.[17] On December 23, 2010, he caught five passes for a season-high 73 yards, as the Steelers routed the Carolina Panthers, 27–3. Miller finished the regular season with 42 receptions, 512 receiving yards, and two touchdowns in 14 starts.[12]

The Steelers finished the 2010 season with a 12–4 record and first in the AFC North. On January 15, 2011, the Pittsburgh Steelers faced the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Divisional round after having a bye during the wildcard. Miller led the Steelers with five catches for 39 yards and caught a nine-yard touchdown reception in the 31–24 victory.[18] During the AFC Championship victory over the New York Jets, he caught two passes for 38 yards. On February 6, 2011, the Pittsburgh Steelers appeared in Super Bowl against the Green Bay Packers, with Miller catching two passes for 12 yards during the 31–25 loss.[19]

2011 season edit

On October 9, 2011, he caught a season-high three passes for 46 yards and caught his first touchdown of the season on an eight-yard pass from Ben Roethlisberger, as the Steelers defeated the Tennessee Titans, 38–17. During a Week 7 matchup against the Arizona Cardinals, Miller made four receptions for 59 yards and a touchdown, while also having his first career carry for a six-yard gain in a 38–20 victory. On December 19, 2011, the Pittsburgh Steelers played the San Francisco 49ers and Miller finished the 20–3 loss with five receptions for a season-high 82 receiving yards. Miller became the Steelers' all-time leader in career receptions for a tight end, passing Elbie Nickel and moved into the top 5 on the Steelers' all-time receptions list. He finished the regular season with 51 receptions, 651 receiving yards, and two touchdowns while starting all 16 games.[12]

2012 season edit

New offensive coordinator Todd Haley named him the starting tight end to begin the regular season, over Jamie McCoy, Leonard Pope, and David Paulson.

He started the season-opener against the Denver Broncos and made four catches for 50 receiving yards and a touchdown during the 31–19 loss. On September 23, 2012, Miller caught a season-high eight passes for 60 yards and tied his career-high with two touchdown receptions in a 34–31 loss to the Oakland Raiders. On October 11, 2012, in a loss against the Tennessee Titans, Miller had 6 receptions for 67 yards moving him past Louis Lipps for third place on the Steelers' all-time receptions list. During a Week 13 matchup against the Baltimore Ravens, he caught five passes for a season-high 97 receiving yards and a touchdown in the 23–20 victory. On December 23, 2011, Miller suffered a torn MCL and ACL during a 13–10 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. He was placed on injured-reserve for the remainder of the season and was also selected to the Pro Bowl.[20] After the season, Miller was voted team MVP by his teammates. He finished the season with 71 receptions for 816 yards and 8 touchdowns, career highs for receiving yards and touchdowns.

2013 season edit

 
Miller lined up at wideout in 2013

After suffering a torn MCL and ACL, Miller underwent reconstructive surgery to repair three torn ligaments and a rehab program to regain his form. Prior to the beginning of the regular season, the Pittsburgh Steelers removed Miller from the Physically Unable to Perform list in hopes of him returning within a month. With Matt Spaeth also recovering from a lisfranc surgery, the Steelers began the season with David Paulson and Jamie McCoy.[20]

On September 11, 2013, the Pittsburgh Steelers restructured his base salary for 2013 from $5.61 million to $2.61 million.[11]

He made his season-debut in a Week 3 matchup against the Chicago Bears, making three receptions for 35 yards in 40–23 loss. On October 20, 2013, Miller made two receptions for 17 yards and caught an 8-yard pass from Ben Roethlisberger for his only touchdown of the season during a 19–16 win over the Baltimore Ravens.[21] During a Week 13 matchup against the Baltimore Ravens, he caught a season-high eight passes for a season-high 86 yards in 22–20 loss. He finished the season with 58 receptions for 593 receiving yards and a touchdown in 14 games.[12]

2014 season edit

On March 5, 2014, the Pittsburgh Steelers restructured Miller's contract to reduce the cost of his contract towards their salary cap. He was scheduled to cost the Steelers $9.2 million towards the cap but it was reduced to $6.5 million, with Miller earning $1.02 million in 2014. The Steelers also agreed to pay Miller $4.5 million for the remaining two years.[22][23][24] On September 28, 2014, Miller caught a season-high ten passes for 85 receiving yards and scored on an eight-yard touchdown reception, marking his first touchdown of the season, during a 27–24 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. During Week 8, he made seven receptions for a season-high 112 yards and caught an 11-yard touchdown pass from Ben Roethlisberger, as the Steelers routed the Indianapolis Colts, 51–34. He also caught his 500th career reception during the game. He finished the 2014 season with 66 receptions for 761 receiving yards and three touchdowns in 16 starts.[12]

The Pittsburgh Steelers finished the season first in the AFC North with an 11–5 record. On January 3, 2015, Miller caught six passes for 76 yards in a 30–17 AFC Wildcard loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

2015: Final season edit

He started the season-opener against the New England Patriots and caught eight passes for 84-yards in a 28–21 loss. On November 1, 2015, Miller caught ten passes for a season-high 105 receiving yards in a 16–10 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. On November 15, 2015, Miller was named the backup quarterback against the Cleveland Browns after the starting quarterback Landry Jones sprained his ankle. Although Roethlisberger was still injured, he came in to finish the game with Miller as the emergency backup quarterback.[25] In Week 12, Miller suffered a rib injury during the second quarter of a 39–30 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. He missed the next game with the injury.[26] During a Week 14 contest against the Cincinnati Bengals, he caught a season-high ten passes for 60 yards and had his second career carry for a two-yard gain in a 33–20 victory.[12] On January 3, 2016, he made three catches for 18 yards and caught his last career touchdown on a two-yard pass from Ben Roethlisberger during the Steeler's 28–12 victory.[27] He finished his last season with 60 receptions for 535 receiving yards and two touchdowns in 15 games and 15 starts.

The Pittsburgh Steelers finished the season with a 10–6 record, landing them second in the AFC North. They faced the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC Wildcard game and he caught two passes for nine yards in an 18–16 victory. On January 17, 2016, Miller played in his last career game and caught one pass for a seven-yard gain during the Steelers' 23–16 AFC Divisional round loss to eventual Super Bowl 50 Champions the Denver Broncos.

On February 19, 2016, Miller announced his retirement from football after an 11-season career with the Pittsburgh Steelers.[28]

NFL career statistics edit

Legend
Won the Super Bowl
Bold Career high

Regular season edit

Year Team GP Receiving Fumbles
Rec Tgt Yds Avg Lng TD FD Fum Lost
2005 PIT 16 39 52 459 11.8 50 6 22 0 0
2006 PIT 16 34 55 393 11.6 87 5 21 0 0
2007 PIT 16 47 61 566 12.0 29 7 32 0 0
2008 PIT 14 48 66 514 10.7 22 3 29 1 1
2009 PIT 16 76 98 789 10.4 41 6 37 2 2
2010 PIT 14 42 67 512 12.2 36 2 24 1 1
2011 PIT 16 51 74 631 12.4 39 2 36 1 1
2012 PIT 15 71 101 816 11.5 43 8 44 0 0
2013 PIT 14 58 79 593 10.2 31 1 30 1 1
2014 PIT 16 66 91 761 11.5 49 3 42 2 1
2015 PIT 15 60 81 535 8.9 27 2 29 0 0
Career[29] 168 592 825 6,569 11.1 87 45 346 8 7

Personal life edit

He is the son of Earl and Denise. He and his wife, Katie, were married during the 2007 offseason. They have three sons and a daughter, Chase, Jake, Cole, and Morgan. [30] Miller is involved with a number of charities. Miller has participated in the Salvation Army and WTAE TV's Annual Mini Golf Classic as host.[31] Miller has also been involved in charities such as fashion shows [32] and high school fundraising basketball games.[33]

References edit

  1. ^ a b Reedy, Jim (October 15, 2004). "Southwestern Va. Follows Miller's Rising Star". The Washington Post. Retrieved September 26, 2011.
  2. ^ a b . Steelers.com. Archived from the original on May 8, 2018. Retrieved December 25, 2017.
  3. ^ "VHSL-REFERENCE – Virginia High School Football Scoreboard". www.VHSL-Reference.com. Retrieved December 25, 2017.
  4. ^ a b c d "Virginia Cavaliers Football Player Bio:Heath Miller". Virginia Cavaliers Athletics.
  5. ^ "Heath Miller, Virginia, TE, 2005 NFL Draft Scout, NCAA College Football". draftscout.com. Retrieved December 15, 2021.
  6. ^ "Heath Miller 2005 NFL Draft Profile". insider.espn.com. Retrieved December 15, 2021.
  7. ^ "Heath Miller, Combine Results, TE – Virginia". nflcombineresults.com. Retrieved December 15, 2021.
  8. ^ "2005 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved May 7, 2023.
  9. ^ Robinson, Alan. "Steelers Draft Virginia Tight End Heath Miller." The Associated Press [Pittsburgh] April 23, 2005: n. pag. Web. October 3, 2012.
  10. ^ . sports.yahoo.com. Archived from the original on February 20, 2017. Retrieved January 20, 2017.
  11. ^ a b "Sportrac.com: Heath Miller contracts". sportrac.com. Retrieved January 18, 2017.
  12. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "NFL Player Profile: Heath Miller". NFL.com. Retrieved January 18, 2017.
  13. ^ "Fresh Batch: QB sparks Steelers past Dolphins in opener". ESPN.com. September 9, 2006. Retrieved March 12, 2017.
  14. ^ "The Huddle.com: Week 11-2008 Injury report". TheHuddle.com. Retrieved January 20, 2017.
  15. ^ "NFL News, Scores, Schedule & Standings – Pro Football". Sporting News. Retrieved December 25, 2017.
  16. ^ Miller signs six-year contract August 2, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  17. ^ . profootballtalk.nbcsports.com. Archived from the original on June 20, 2013. Retrieved January 20, 2017.
  18. ^ "NFL Game Center: Week 19-2010: Baltimore Ravens @ Pittsburgh Steelers". NFL.com. Retrieved January 20, 2017.
  19. ^ "Super Bowl XLV – Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Green Bay Packers – February 6th, 2011". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved December 15, 2017.
  20. ^ a b Sessler, Marc (August 18, 2013). "Injury roundup: Heath Miller might miss first month - NFL.com". NFL.com. Retrieved December 25, 2017.
  21. ^ "NFL Game Center: Week 7-2013: Baltimore Ravens @ Pittsburgh Steelers". NFL.com. Retrieved January 21, 2017.
  22. ^ Katzowitz, Josh (March 5, 2014). "Report: Steelers revamp Heath Miller's contract". cbssports.com. Retrieved January 21, 2017.
  23. ^ "Pittsburgh Steelers Make Roster Moves to Free Salary Cap Space".
  24. ^ "Steelers sign Polamalu, Miller to extensions". USAToday.com. March 5, 2014. Retrieved June 16, 2014.
  25. ^ "Steelers' backup QB is comically sad as hurt Roethlisberger plays". NYPost.com. November 15, 2015. Retrieved December 25, 2017.
  26. ^ DeArdo, Bryan (December 8, 2015). . pit.247sports.com. Archived from the original on December 12, 2015. Retrieved January 21, 2017.
  27. ^ "NFL Game Center: Week 17-2015: Pittsburgh Steelers @ Cleveland Browns". NFL.com. Retrieved January 21, 2017.
  28. ^ Coolong, Neal (February 19, 2016). "Heath Miller retires after 11-year career". USA Today. Retrieved February 19, 2016.
  29. ^ "Heath Miller Stats". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved February 19, 2016.
  30. ^ Hayes, Tim. "FOOTBALL: Heath Miller now enjoying life in retirement". Herald Courier. Herald Courier. Retrieved June 19, 2020.
  31. ^ "Golf With Steelers Past and Present and Support Needy Kids and Seniors – The Salvation Army and WTAE TV's Project Bundle-Up Slates 15th Annual Heath Miller Minigolf Classic." PR Newswire [Pittsburgh] May 8, 2012: n. pag. Web. October 3, 2012.
  32. ^ Sheridan, Patricia. "Steeling Fashion." Pittsburgh Post-Gazette October 6, 2009: n. pag. Web. October 9, 2012
  33. ^ Harlan, Chico. "2–5–06 DID FOR THE STEELERS; JUST ASK THEM." Pittsburgh Post-Gazette May 7, 2006: n. pag. Web. October 9, 2012.

External links edit

heath, miller, other, people, named, disambiguation, earl, born, october, 1982, american, former, professional, football, player, tight, pittsburgh, steelers, national, football, league, seasons, from, 2005, 2015, miller, played, college, football, virginia, c. For other people named Heath Miller see Heath Miller disambiguation Earl Heath Miller Jr born October 22 1982 is an American former professional football player who was a tight end for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League NFL for 11 seasons from 2005 to 2015 Miller played college football for the Virginia Cavaliers earning unanimous All American honors and winning the John Mackey Award The Steelers selected him in the first round with the 30th overall pick of the 2005 NFL draft Heath MillerMiller with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2012No 83Position Tight endPersonal informationBorn 1982 10 22 October 22 1982 age 41 Richlands Virginia U S Height 6 ft 5 in 1 96 m Weight 256 lb 116 kg Career informationHigh school Honaker Honaker Virginia College Virginia 2001 2004 NFL draft 2005 Round 1 Pick 30Career historyPittsburgh Steelers 2005 2015 Career highlights and awards2 Super Bowl champion XL XLIII 2 Pro Bowl 2009 2012 PFWA All Rookie Team 2005 Pittsburgh Steelers Hall of Honor John Mackey Award 2004 Unanimous All American 2004 First team Freshman All American 2002 2 First team All ACC 2003 2004 Virginia Cavaliers Jersey No 89 retiredCareer NFL statisticsReceptions 592Receiving yards 6 569Receiving touchdowns 45Player stats at NFL com PFR Contents 1 Early years 2 College career 2 1 Freshman season 2 2 Sophomore season 2 3 Junior season 3 Professional career 3 1 2005 Rookie season and first Super Bowl 3 2 2006 season 3 3 2007 season 3 4 2008 Super Bowl season 3 5 2009 season 3 6 2010 season Third Super Bowl appearance 3 7 2011 season 3 8 2012 season 3 9 2013 season 3 10 2014 season 3 11 2015 Final season 4 NFL career statistics 4 1 Regular season 5 Personal life 6 References 7 External linksEarly years editMiller was born in Richlands Virginia He attended Honaker High School and lived in Swords Creek Virginia 1 He played quarterback for the Honaker Tigers high school football team where he earned the Associated Press Player of the Year honor as a senior and was a two time AP All State selection He also earned the All Southwest Virginia first team honors at quarterback and was a second team all state selection at defensive back adding Region D Offensive Player of the Year accolades 2 He set several school records in passing and leading the team to its first state championship game his senior year in which they lost to King William High School 25 15 1 3 While attending high school Miller also played first base for the baseball team where he earned the Black Diamond District first team honors and was an All Region and All State selection He was also a forward on the basketball team where he earned the All District and All Region honors 2 College career editFreshman season edit Miller attended the University of Virginia where he played for coach Al Groh s Virginia Cavaliers football team from 2001 to 2004 Originally signed to play quarterback Miller made the transition to the tight end position during his redshirt freshman year After sitting out in 2001 he started every game in 2002 at tight end In his first game against Colorado State he had 4 receptions 42 receiving yards and 1 touchdown He scored touchdowns in each of his first five games at Virginia setting a school season record for tight ends and led Atlantic Coast Conference ACC tight ends in receiving all three seasons of his college career It took him seven games to set the school record for touchdowns by a tight end He also threw one pass during his college career connecting with fellow tight end Patrick Estes for a touchdown against South Carolina in 2002 He also caught a touchdown pass in the same game In a win against Wake Forest he was held to three catches two of them going for touchdowns His five game streak ended when he was held without a catch against Duke Against Clemson he caught a 15 yard touchdown pass from Matt Schaub in a 22 17 win Against North Carolina he had a season long 42 yard reception The following week Miller had a season high 6 catches for 50 yards against Penn State Against Virginia Tech Miller recorded a 15 yard touchdown reception In the 2002 Continental Tire Bowl win against the West Virginia he had a season high 54 receiving yards on 3 catches He ended the 2002 season with 33 receptions 327 receiving yards 9 touchdown catches and 1 touchdown pass leading all ACC tight ends in touchdowns and receptions His nine touchdown catches were an ACC record for tight ends He was voted second team All ACC and first team Freshman All American First by The Sporting News 4 Sophomore season edit Miller opened the 2003 season with 5 receptions 54 receiving yards and 1 touchdown against Duke He followed the performance with 3 catches for 51 yards against Western Michigan and 3 catches for 17 yards against South Carolina In a comeback win against Wake Forest he led the team in catches for the fourth consecutive game with 7 receptions 94 receiving yards and 1 touchdown He caught a 15 yard pass in the closing minute to set up the game winning field goal After a 4 catch 44 yard performance against North Carolina he posted 8 receptions 52 yards and 1 touchdown in an overtime loss to Clemson Following the loss Miller went to see the film Finding Nemo at The Jefferson Theater Heath loved the film describing the title character as a real American Hero Miller had 9 receptions for 77 yards and a touchdown against the 7 ranked Florida State Against Georgia Tech he caught 6 passes for 110 yards and a touchdown He won the ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week Award for this performance A week later he had a career game against in state rivals Virginia Tech with 13 catches for 145 yards earning a second consecutive ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week Award He scored the first touchdown in 2003 Continental Tire Bowl against the Pittsburgh a 52 yard pass from Matt Schaub He finished the 2002 season with an ACC record of 70 receptions and 835 receiving yards He was voted second team All American by College Football News and first team All ACC 4 Junior season edit Miller was voted team captain before his junior season Miller caught 3 passes for 45 yards and a touchdown against Temple extending his streak of consecutive games with at least one catch to 22 citation needed The streak ended the following week when he was held without a catch against North Carolina The following week he made 6 receptions for 54 yards and 2 touchdowns against Akron Against Syracuse he caught a 54 yard pass for his only reception in the game Miller had 4 catches for 55 yards and a score in a Thursday night win against Clemson The following game Miller had season highs of 9 catches and 110 yards in a loss against Florida State Miller played his final college game against Fresno State in the 2004 MPC Computer Bowl He led the team with 5 catches and 66 receiving yards Miller was named unanimous first team All American for the 2004 season and was voted first team All ACC He also became the first ACC player to win the John Mackey Award given to the top college tight end 4 Miller ended his college career with ACC records for most career receptions 144 yards 1 703 and touchdowns 20 by a tight end Miller finished second in receptions seventh in yards and fourth in touchdown receptions for all positions He also shares the school record for most 100 yard games by a tight end 3 and he caught at least one pass in 32 of his final 33 games Miller skipped his senior season to enter the 2005 NFL draft becoming the fifth player in school history to enter the draft early 4 Professional career editPre draft measurables Height Weight 6 ft 5 in 1 96 m 256 lb 116 kg All values from NFL Combine 5 6 7 2005 Rookie season and first Super Bowl edit The Pittsburgh Steelers selected Miller in the first round 30th overall of the 2005 NFL draft 8 He was the third tight end drafted by Pittsburgh in the first round in 15 years 9 On July 26 2005 the Steelers signed Miller to a five year 6 89 million contract with 4 54 million guaranteed and a signing bonus of 3 94 million 10 11 He entered training camp competing with veterans Jerame Tuman and Matt Kranchick for the starting tight end position Miller was named the starting tight end to begin the regular season He made his professional regular season debut in the Pittsburgh Steelers season opener against the Tennessee Titans and caught his first career touchdown on a three yard pass from Ben Roethlisberger in a 34 7 victory On October 23 2005 Miller caught a season high six passes for 58 receiving yards and a touchdown during a 27 13 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals The next game he made three receptions for 18 yards and a season high two touchdowns in a 20 19 win against the Baltimore Ravens During a Week 17 matchup with the Detroit Lions he caught three passes for a season high 62 receiving yards in a 35 21 victory 12 He finished his rookie season with 39 receptions for 459 yards and six touchdowns and was named the Pittsburgh Steelers rookie of the year The Steelers finished second in the AFC North with an 11 5 record On January 8 2006 he appeared in his first career postseason game and caught two passes for 15 yards in a 31 17 AFC Wildcard victory over the Cincinnati Bengals The following game Miller caught three passes for 61 yards and one touchdown in the Steelers 21 18 upset over the top seeded Indianapolis Colts in the divisional playoff round After defeating the Denver Broncos the Steelers went on to play in Super Bowl XL On February 5 2006 they defeated the Seattle Seahawks 21 10 and Miller earned his first Super Bowl ring He was held without a catch during the game 2006 season edit He remained as the starter to begin the regular season beating out Tuman and Tim Euhus Miller started the season opener against the Miami Dolphins and caught three passes for 101 receiving yards and scored an 87 yard touchdown reception in a 28 17 victory Replays showed that he should have been marked out of bounds at about the one yard line but the play was not challenged by the Dolphins quickly enough 13 During a Week 7 matchup against the Denver Broncos he made a season high five receptions for 34 yards in a 31 20 loss Miller finished the season with 34 catches for 393 yards and five touchdowns in 16 games and 16 starts 12 2007 season edit He was named the starting tight end by Mike Tomlin after beating out Jerame Tuman Matt Spaeth and Jonathan Dekker Miller started the season opener against the Cleveland Browns and caught four passes for 35 receiving yards and a touchdown as the Steelers routed the Browns 34 7 On October 21 2007 he made a season high five receptions for 50 yards and two touchdowns in a 31 28 loss to the Denver Broncos In a Week 10 matchup against the Cleveland Browns Miller caught five passes for a season high 71 receiving yards and a touchdown in a 31 28 victory In 2007 Miller set new career highs for touchdowns 7 receptions 47 and receiving yards 566 and played in all 16 games 12 The Pittsburgh Steelers finished first in the AFC North with a 10 6 record in their first year under Mike Tomlin On January 5 2008 the Pittsburgh Steelers faced the Jacksonville Jaguars in the AFC Wildcard game and Miller caught eight passes for 85 yards and scored on a 14 yard touchdown reception in a 31 29 loss 2008 Super Bowl season edit Miller began the season making three receptions for 26 yards in the Pittsburgh Steelers 38 17 season opening victory over the Houston Texans On October 5 2008 he made five receptions for 45 receiving yards and caught his first touchdown of the season on a one yard pass from Ben Roethlisberger in a 26 22 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars On November 3 2008 Miller suffered an ankle injury as the Steelers routed the Washington Redskins 23 6 He missed the next two games due to the injury 14 During a Week 16 matchup against the Tennessee Titans Miller caught a season high eight passes for 86 receiving yards in a 31 14 loss 12 He finished the 2008 season with a total of 48 receptions for 514 receiving yards and was limited to three touchdowns in 14 games and 14 starts The Pittsburgh Steelers finished first in the AFC North with a 12 4 record On January 11 2009 the Steelers played the San Diego Chargers in an AFC Divisional round matchup and Miller finished the 35 24 victory with three receptions for 37 yards and scored on an 8 yard touchdown reception In the AFC Championship Game against the Baltimore Ravens he caught three passes for 62 receiving yards in a 28 14 victory On February 1 2009 the Pittsburgh Steelers appeared in Super Bowl XLIII against the Arizona Cardinals Miller had five receptions for 57 yards in a 27 23 last second victory and earned his second career Super Bowl ring 15 2009 season edit On July 30 2009 the Pittsburgh Steelers signed Miller to a six year 35 3 million extension with a 12 5 million signing bonus 16 He started the season opener against the Tennessee Titans and caught a season high eight passes for 64 yards in a 13 10 victory On October 4 2009 Miller had eight receptions for 70 receiving yards and a season high two touchdown during a 38 28 win over the San Diego Chargers His first touchdown reception of the season was a six yard pass from Ben Roethlisberger In Week 6 he caught five passes for 80 receiving yards and caught an eight yard touchdown reception as the Steelers defeated the Cleveland Browns 27 14 On December 20 2009 Miller had seven receptions for a season high 118 receiving yards in a 37 36 victory over the Green Bay Packers 12 He finished with 76 receptions for 789 yards and six touchdowns and started all 16 games Miller was selected to his first Pro Bowl on January 25 2009 replacing the Colts tight end Dallas Clark who participated in the Super Bowl XLIV 2010 season Third Super Bowl appearance edit He began the regular season being named the Pittsburgh Steelers captain for the offense On October 17 2010 the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Cleveland Browns 28 10 and Miller caught two passes for 50 receiving yards and scored his first touchdown of the season on a 14 yard pass from Ben Roethlisberger During a Week 10 matchup against the New England Patriots Miller caught five passes for 60 yards in a 39 26 loss In a Week 13 matchup with the Baltimore Ravens he suffered a concussion that sidelined him for the next two games 17 On December 23 2010 he caught five passes for a season high 73 yards as the Steelers routed the Carolina Panthers 27 3 Miller finished the regular season with 42 receptions 512 receiving yards and two touchdowns in 14 starts 12 The Steelers finished the 2010 season with a 12 4 record and first in the AFC North On January 15 2011 the Pittsburgh Steelers faced the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Divisional round after having a bye during the wildcard Miller led the Steelers with five catches for 39 yards and caught a nine yard touchdown reception in the 31 24 victory 18 During the AFC Championship victory over the New York Jets he caught two passes for 38 yards On February 6 2011 the Pittsburgh Steelers appeared in Super Bowl against the Green Bay Packers with Miller catching two passes for 12 yards during the 31 25 loss 19 2011 season edit On October 9 2011 he caught a season high three passes for 46 yards and caught his first touchdown of the season on an eight yard pass from Ben Roethlisberger as the Steelers defeated the Tennessee Titans 38 17 During a Week 7 matchup against the Arizona Cardinals Miller made four receptions for 59 yards and a touchdown while also having his first career carry for a six yard gain in a 38 20 victory On December 19 2011 the Pittsburgh Steelers played the San Francisco 49ers and Miller finished the 20 3 loss with five receptions for a season high 82 receiving yards Miller became the Steelers all time leader in career receptions for a tight end passing Elbie Nickel and moved into the top 5 on the Steelers all time receptions list He finished the regular season with 51 receptions 651 receiving yards and two touchdowns while starting all 16 games 12 2012 season edit New offensive coordinator Todd Haley named him the starting tight end to begin the regular season over Jamie McCoy Leonard Pope and David Paulson He started the season opener against the Denver Broncos and made four catches for 50 receiving yards and a touchdown during the 31 19 loss On September 23 2012 Miller caught a season high eight passes for 60 yards and tied his career high with two touchdown receptions in a 34 31 loss to the Oakland Raiders On October 11 2012 in a loss against the Tennessee Titans Miller had 6 receptions for 67 yards moving him past Louis Lipps for third place on the Steelers all time receptions list During a Week 13 matchup against the Baltimore Ravens he caught five passes for a season high 97 receiving yards and a touchdown in the 23 20 victory On December 23 2011 Miller suffered a torn MCL and ACL during a 13 10 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals He was placed on injured reserve for the remainder of the season and was also selected to the Pro Bowl 20 After the season Miller was voted team MVP by his teammates He finished the season with 71 receptions for 816 yards and 8 touchdowns career highs for receiving yards and touchdowns 2013 season edit nbsp Miller lined up at wideout in 2013 After suffering a torn MCL and ACL Miller underwent reconstructive surgery to repair three torn ligaments and a rehab program to regain his form Prior to the beginning of the regular season the Pittsburgh Steelers removed Miller from the Physically Unable to Perform list in hopes of him returning within a month With Matt Spaeth also recovering from a lisfranc surgery the Steelers began the season with David Paulson and Jamie McCoy 20 On September 11 2013 the Pittsburgh Steelers restructured his base salary for 2013 from 5 61 million to 2 61 million 11 He made his season debut in a Week 3 matchup against the Chicago Bears making three receptions for 35 yards in 40 23 loss On October 20 2013 Miller made two receptions for 17 yards and caught an 8 yard pass from Ben Roethlisberger for his only touchdown of the season during a 19 16 win over the Baltimore Ravens 21 During a Week 13 matchup against the Baltimore Ravens he caught a season high eight passes for a season high 86 yards in 22 20 loss He finished the season with 58 receptions for 593 receiving yards and a touchdown in 14 games 12 2014 season edit On March 5 2014 the Pittsburgh Steelers restructured Miller s contract to reduce the cost of his contract towards their salary cap He was scheduled to cost the Steelers 9 2 million towards the cap but it was reduced to 6 5 million with Miller earning 1 02 million in 2014 The Steelers also agreed to pay Miller 4 5 million for the remaining two years 22 23 24 On September 28 2014 Miller caught a season high ten passes for 85 receiving yards and scored on an eight yard touchdown reception marking his first touchdown of the season during a 27 24 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers During Week 8 he made seven receptions for a season high 112 yards and caught an 11 yard touchdown pass from Ben Roethlisberger as the Steelers routed the Indianapolis Colts 51 34 He also caught his 500th career reception during the game He finished the 2014 season with 66 receptions for 761 receiving yards and three touchdowns in 16 starts 12 The Pittsburgh Steelers finished the season first in the AFC North with an 11 5 record On January 3 2015 Miller caught six passes for 76 yards in a 30 17 AFC Wildcard loss to the Baltimore Ravens 2015 Final season edit He started the season opener against the New England Patriots and caught eight passes for 84 yards in a 28 21 loss On November 1 2015 Miller caught ten passes for a season high 105 receiving yards in a 16 10 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals On November 15 2015 Miller was named the backup quarterback against the Cleveland Browns after the starting quarterback Landry Jones sprained his ankle Although Roethlisberger was still injured he came in to finish the game with Miller as the emergency backup quarterback 25 In Week 12 Miller suffered a rib injury during the second quarter of a 39 30 loss to the Seattle Seahawks He missed the next game with the injury 26 During a Week 14 contest against the Cincinnati Bengals he caught a season high ten passes for 60 yards and had his second career carry for a two yard gain in a 33 20 victory 12 On January 3 2016 he made three catches for 18 yards and caught his last career touchdown on a two yard pass from Ben Roethlisberger during the Steeler s 28 12 victory 27 He finished his last season with 60 receptions for 535 receiving yards and two touchdowns in 15 games and 15 starts The Pittsburgh Steelers finished the season with a 10 6 record landing them second in the AFC North They faced the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC Wildcard game and he caught two passes for nine yards in an 18 16 victory On January 17 2016 Miller played in his last career game and caught one pass for a seven yard gain during the Steelers 23 16 AFC Divisional round loss to eventual Super Bowl 50 Champions the Denver Broncos On February 19 2016 Miller announced his retirement from football after an 11 season career with the Pittsburgh Steelers 28 NFL career statistics editLegend Won the Super Bowl Bold Career high Regular season edit Year Team GP Receiving Fumbles Rec Tgt Yds Avg Lng TD FD Fum Lost 2005 PIT 16 39 52 459 11 8 50 6 22 0 0 2006 PIT 16 34 55 393 11 6 87 5 21 0 0 2007 PIT 16 47 61 566 12 0 29 7 32 0 0 2008 PIT 14 48 66 514 10 7 22 3 29 1 1 2009 PIT 16 76 98 789 10 4 41 6 37 2 2 2010 PIT 14 42 67 512 12 2 36 2 24 1 1 2011 PIT 16 51 74 631 12 4 39 2 36 1 1 2012 PIT 15 71 101 816 11 5 43 8 44 0 0 2013 PIT 14 58 79 593 10 2 31 1 30 1 1 2014 PIT 16 66 91 761 11 5 49 3 42 2 1 2015 PIT 15 60 81 535 8 9 27 2 29 0 0 Career 29 168 592 825 6 569 11 1 87 45 346 8 7Personal life editHe is the son of Earl and Denise He and his wife Katie were married during the 2007 offseason They have three sons and a daughter Chase Jake Cole and Morgan 30 Miller is involved with a number of charities Miller has participated in the Salvation Army and WTAE TV s Annual Mini Golf Classic as host 31 Miller has also been involved in charities such as fashion shows 32 and high school fundraising basketball games 33 References edit a b Reedy Jim October 15 2004 Southwestern Va Follows Miller s Rising Star The Washington Post Retrieved September 26 2011 a b Pittsburgh Steelers Heath Miller Steelers com Archived from the original on May 8 2018 Retrieved December 25 2017 VHSL REFERENCE Virginia High School Football Scoreboard www VHSL Reference com Retrieved December 25 2017 a b c d Virginia Cavaliers Football Player Bio Heath Miller Virginia Cavaliers Athletics Heath Miller Virginia TE 2005 NFL Draft Scout NCAA College Football draftscout com Retrieved December 15 2021 Heath Miller 2005 NFL Draft Profile insider espn com Retrieved December 15 2021 Heath Miller Combine Results TE Virginia nflcombineresults com Retrieved December 15 2021 2005 NFL Draft Listing Pro Football Reference com Retrieved May 7 2023 Robinson Alan Steelers Draft Virginia Tight End Heath Miller The Associated Press Pittsburgh April 23 2005 n pag Web October 3 2012 Report Steelers sign first round pick TE Miller sports yahoo com Archived from the original on February 20 2017 Retrieved January 20 2017 a b Sportrac com Heath Miller contracts sportrac com Retrieved January 18 2017 a b c d e f g h i j NFL Player Profile Heath Miller NFL com Retrieved January 18 2017 Fresh Batch QB sparks Steelers past Dolphins in opener ESPN com September 9 2006 Retrieved March 12 2017 The Huddle com Week 11 2008 Injury report TheHuddle com Retrieved January 20 2017 NFL News Scores Schedule amp Standings Pro Football Sporting News Retrieved December 25 2017 Miller signs six year contract Archived August 2 2009 at the Wayback Machine Heath Miller Flozell Adams knocked out for Steelers profootballtalk nbcsports com Archived from the original on June 20 2013 Retrieved January 20 2017 NFL Game Center Week 19 2010 Baltimore Ravens Pittsburgh Steelers NFL com Retrieved January 20 2017 Super Bowl XLV Pittsburgh Steelers vs Green Bay Packers February 6th 2011 Pro Football Reference com Retrieved December 15 2017 a b Sessler Marc August 18 2013 Injury roundup Heath Miller might miss first month NFL com NFL com Retrieved December 25 2017 NFL Game Center Week 7 2013 Baltimore Ravens Pittsburgh Steelers NFL com Retrieved January 21 2017 Katzowitz Josh March 5 2014 Report Steelers revamp Heath Miller s contract cbssports com Retrieved January 21 2017 Pittsburgh Steelers Make Roster Moves to Free Salary Cap Space Steelers sign Polamalu Miller to extensions USAToday com March 5 2014 Retrieved June 16 2014 Steelers backup QB is comically sad as hurt Roethlisberger plays NYPost com November 15 2015 Retrieved December 25 2017 DeArdo Bryan December 8 2015 Injury report Heath Miller has a chance to play vs Bengals pit 247sports com Archived from the original on December 12 2015 Retrieved January 21 2017 NFL Game Center Week 17 2015 Pittsburgh Steelers Cleveland Browns NFL com Retrieved January 21 2017 Coolong Neal February 19 2016 Heath Miller retires after 11 year career USA Today Retrieved February 19 2016 Heath Miller Stats Pro Football Reference com Sports Reference LLC Retrieved February 19 2016 Hayes Tim FOOTBALL Heath Miller now enjoying life in retirement Herald Courier Herald Courier Retrieved June 19 2020 Golf With Steelers Past and Present and Support Needy Kids and Seniors The Salvation Army and WTAE TV s Project Bundle Up Slates 15th Annual Heath Miller Minigolf Classic PR Newswire Pittsburgh May 8 2012 n pag Web October 3 2012 Sheridan Patricia Steeling Fashion Pittsburgh Post Gazette October 6 2009 n pag Web October 9 2012 Harlan Chico 2 5 06 DID FOR THE STEELERS JUST ASK THEM Pittsburgh Post Gazette May 7 2006 n pag Web October 9 2012 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Heath Miller Heath Miller at NFL com Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Heath Miller amp oldid 1219575582, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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