The irony of the understated, quiet way in which Steelers tight end Heath Miller tried to retire: the understated, quiet nature of Miller simply wouldn’t permit it.
Not that he didn’t try.
Miller phoned the Steelers on February 19, 2016, to call it a career, probably hoping that would be that. But a news release announcing it—followed by one with quotes from president Art Rooney II, general manager Kevin Colbert, coach Mike Tomlin, and Miller himself—did not allow for the quick getaway the greatest tight end in Steelers history desired after 11 NFL seasons.
KDKA-TV in Pittsburgh led their 5:00 newscast with the Miller story that included man-on-the-street interviews about “Heeeath’s” impact on the organization and the surprising news of his retirement. Teammates took to social media to laud the player with the be-seen-not-heard approach to the game.
Both Pittsburgh daily newspapers trumpeted the news on their respective front pages the following day with extensive coverage inside. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette columnist Ron Cook spoke with Ben Roethlisberger shortly after Miller’s retirement became official; Roethlisberger admitted in Cook’s column that he cried when Miller called the Steelers quarterbacks to tell him of his plans.
That’s not a surprise since Roethlisberger has said he regularly voted Miller as the team MVP and that Miller is the best teammate he has ever had.
“I’ve had a lot of great teammates, a lot of guys I could put up there. But what Heath personified as a player and a teammate? There’s never been another like him,” Roethlisberger told Cook. “I’ve never known a more unselfish player.”
His coaches appreciated Miller as much as his teammates.
“Maybe he is the best football player I’ve been around,” Steelers offensive coordinator Todd Haley told reporters during the 2015 season. “Just all-around what he brings to you in such a quiet and unassuming way. He commands such leadership.”
Miller showed that leadership in his final season when Roethlisberger was out with a knee injury.
He pulled All-Pro wide receiver Antonio Brown aside one day and told him to stop complaining about not getting the ball with backups Mike Vick and Landry Jones playing in the absence of Roethlisberger.
Miller, of course, did not make a show of it and folks outside of the locker room probably wouldn’t have known about it. But Brown talked about it on his weekly radio show—and expressed appreciation for what Miller had done.
Miller made just one Pro Bowl in 11 NFL seasons but the Steelers long contended that he was the best-all around tight end in the game. He was a willing and able blocker who could also catch—those tight ends are becoming increasingly harder to find because of the proliferation of spread offenses in college—and his production put him in elite company in Steelers history.
Miller ranked second in team history in catches (592) and fourth in receiving yards (6,569) and touchdown receptions (45) when he walked away from the game.
Miller will never go down as one of the flashy draft picks in Steelers history—they took him in the first round in 2005 and 30th overall—but he is one of their better ones. The 2005 tight end crop was such a weak one that only nine players at that position were among the 255 drafted. Of those nine only three were taken in the first four rounds. And only one other tight end in that draft class—journeyman Alex Smith—enjoyed a lengthy NFL career like Miller.
The Steelers had the luxury of building around Miller at tight end for more than a decade, and the two-time Super Bowl winner will go down as one of the most appreciated players within the organization and one of the most underrated players outside of it.
Not a bad legacy, and a perfect one for the understated Miller.
Had a camera been on him for any of the tributes that followed his retirement he would have blushed, but in a chapter with an appreciation theme it made perfect sense to celebrate Miller and his career yet again. His remarkably consistent approach to everything—whether it was playing, practicing or, heck, probably taking out the garbage—made him someone to emulate.
And that is in the Steelers’ locker room and outside of it.