Heath Miller
Encyclopedia
Earl Heath Miller, Jr. (born October 22, 1982) is an American football
tight end
for the Pittsburgh Steelers
of the NFL. He was selected as the 30th overall pick of the 2005 NFL Draft
out of the University of Virginia
.
in Honaker, Virginia
. Heath has one younger sister, Amanda.
He played Quarterback (wearing no. 11) for Honaker High School, setting 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.
, presented annually by the Nassau County Sports Commission to the top tight end of the season. He scored touchdowns in each of his first five games at Virginia thereby school season-record for tight ends. Miller was the first ACC
player to win the Mackey Award.
Originally signed to play quarterback, Miller made the transition to the tight end position during his redshirt freshman year. He did throw one pass during his college career, hooking up with fellow tight end Patrick Estes
for a score in a prime-time game against South Carolina.
In his freshman season, Heath set an ACC record for freshmen TEs with 9 touchdown receptions in a season. He followed that up with a sophomore campaign that saw him set ACC TE records for receptions (70) and yards (835) in a season. In his junior season, Heath was awarded the John Mackey Award
and was only the second player in Virginia history to be a unanimous All American
.
Heath concluded his career holding ACC records for most career receptions (144), yards (1703) and touchdowns (20) by a tight end. In Virginia history, these totals place Heath 2nd in receptions, 7th in yards, and 4th in touchdown receptions, regardless of position. He also shares the school record for most 100-yard games by a TE (3), and he caught at least one pass in 32 of his final 33 games. He majored in Sociology.
, Heath Miller finished with 39 receptions for 459 yards and 6 touchdowns. He is also 1 of 4 John Mackey Award recipients to win a Super Bowl. (The others are Daniel Graham
of the New England Patriots, Dallas Clark
of the Indianapolis Colts, and former teammate Matt Spaeth
, who was formally with the Pittsburgh Steelers, but now with the Chicago Bears.) During a four game stretch in his rookie season, he caught 5 touchdown passes and was considered a strong candidate for the Offensive Rookie of the Year award. Though he cooled off, he remained a solid contributor in the Steelers' 2005 Super Bowl run. Miller caught 3 passes for 61 yards and 1 touchdown in the Steelers 21–18 upset win over top seeded Indianapolis Colts
in the divisional playoff round.
In the Steelers opening game of the 2006 season, Miller caught 3 passes for 101 yards, including an 87-yard touchdown reception, the longest touchdown catch by a tight end in a regular season game since 1974. It was also the longest catch ever recorded in the Steelers home stadium, Heinz Field
. Replays showed that he should have been marked out of bounds at about the 1 yard line, but the play was not challenged by Miami Dolphins coach Nick Saban quickly enough. Miller finished the season with 34 catches for 393 yards and 5 touchdowns.
In the 2007 Season, Miller set new career highs for touchdowns (7), receptions (47), and receiving yards (566). He benefited from new offensive coordinator Bruce Arians
' system of offense which called for 3 tight ends, giving Miller more chances to catch passes. 2007 was the breakout year that most experts expected him to have after being under-utilized in his first two seasons. In Super Bowl XLIII
, Miller had 5 receptions for 57 yards and helped Pittsburgh win the game . Miller won his second Super Bowl Ring
. Miller is gaining recognition as one of the best tight ends in the league. He is well balanced, being an exceptional receiver as well as a blocker. However, because the Steelers deemphasize tight ends in the passing game, he does not have exceptional statistics, and therefore is not as widely acknowledged. However, Miller still capitalizes on the few opportunities that he gets, rarely dropping a pass. He still makes significant contributions to the Steeler's passing game.
On July 29, 2009 the Steelers signed Miller to a new six-year contract that binds him to the team through the 2014 season. The contract is worth $35.3 million, including a $12.5 million signing bonus.
Miller was elected to his first Pro Bowl
on January 25, 2010, replacing the Indianapolis Colts
' tight end
Dallas Clark
who participated in the Super Bowl
.
For the 2010-2011 season, was elected by his teammates to be the offensive captain.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
tight end
Tight end
The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
for the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
of the NFL. He was selected as the 30th overall pick of the 2005 NFL Draft
2005 NFL Draft
The 2005 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 23–24, 2005. The league also held an supplemental draft that year, which was held after...
out of the University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
.
Early years
A native of Swords Creek, Virginia, Miller attended Honaker High SchoolHonaker High School
Honaker High School is a public high school located in Honaker, Virginia in Russell County, Virginia. Athletic teams compete in the Virginia High School League's A Black Diamond District in Region D.-Baseball:...
in Honaker, Virginia
Honaker, Virginia
Honaker is a town in Russell County, Virginia, United States. The population was 1,449 at the 2010 census.-History:Honaker was settled as early as 1772 when William Ferrill established a homesite in the area...
. Heath has one younger sister, Amanda.
He played Quarterback (wearing no. 11) for Honaker High School, setting 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.
College career
Nicknamed “Big Money" for his ability to gain first downs and touchdowns, Heath Miller was a three-year starter at tight end (TE) for the University of Virginia. He led ACC TEs in receiving every year of his career (2002–2004), and he was the 2004 recipient of the John Mackey AwardJohn Mackey Award
The John Mackey Award is presented annually to college football's most outstanding tight end.The award is given to the collegiate tight end who best exemplifies the play, sportsmanship, academics, and community values of NFL Hall of Fame tight end John Mackey....
, presented annually by the Nassau County Sports Commission to the top tight end of the season. He scored touchdowns in each of his first five games at Virginia thereby school season-record for tight ends. Miller was the first ACC
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
player to win the Mackey Award.
Originally signed to play quarterback, Miller made the transition to the tight end position during his redshirt freshman year. He did throw one pass during his college career, hooking up with fellow tight end Patrick Estes
Patrick Estes
Patrick Brion Estes is an American football offensive tackle who is currently a free agent. He was originally drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the seventh round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college football at Virginia.-High school career:Estes played high school football in Richmond,...
for a score in a prime-time game against South Carolina.
In his freshman season, Heath set an ACC record for freshmen TEs with 9 touchdown receptions in a season. He followed that up with a sophomore campaign that saw him set ACC TE records for receptions (70) and yards (835) in a season. In his junior season, Heath was awarded the John Mackey Award
John Mackey Award
The John Mackey Award is presented annually to college football's most outstanding tight end.The award is given to the collegiate tight end who best exemplifies the play, sportsmanship, academics, and community values of NFL Hall of Fame tight end John Mackey....
and was only the second player in Virginia history to be a unanimous All American
2004 College Football All-America Team
The 2004 College Football All-America Team is composed of the following All-American Teams: Associated Press, Football Writers Association of America, American Football Coaches Association, Walter Camp Foundation, The Sporting News, Sports Illustrated, Pro Football Weekly, ESPN, CBS Sports, College...
.
Heath concluded his career holding ACC records for most career receptions (144), yards (1703) and touchdowns (20) by a tight end. In Virginia history, these totals place Heath 2nd in receptions, 7th in yards, and 4th in touchdown receptions, regardless of position. He also shares the school record for most 100-yard games by a TE (3), and he caught at least one pass in 32 of his final 33 games. He majored in Sociology.
NFL career
In his rookie season with the Pittsburgh SteelersPittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
, Heath Miller finished with 39 receptions for 459 yards and 6 touchdowns. He is also 1 of 4 John Mackey Award recipients to win a Super Bowl. (The others are Daniel Graham
Daniel Graham
Daniel Lawrence Grahamhttp://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/G/GrahDa00.htm is an American football tight end for the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New England Patriots in the first round of the 2002 NFL Draft...
of the New England Patriots, Dallas Clark
Dallas Clark
Dallas Dean Clark is an American football tight end for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Colts 24th overall in the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Iowa...
of the Indianapolis Colts, and former teammate Matt Spaeth
Matt Spaeth
Matt Spaeth is an American football tight end for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round of the 2007 NFL Draft...
, who was formally with the Pittsburgh Steelers, but now with the Chicago Bears.) During a four game stretch in his rookie season, he caught 5 touchdown passes and was considered a strong candidate for the Offensive Rookie of the Year award. Though he cooled off, he remained a solid contributor in the Steelers' 2005 Super Bowl run. Miller caught 3 passes for 61 yards and 1 touchdown in the Steelers 21–18 upset win over top seeded Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
in the divisional playoff round.
In the Steelers opening game of the 2006 season, Miller caught 3 passes for 101 yards, including an 87-yard touchdown reception, the longest touchdown catch by a tight end in a regular season game since 1974. It was also the longest catch ever recorded in the Steelers home stadium, Heinz Field
Heinz Field
Heinz Field is a stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It primarily serves as the home to the Pittsburgh Steelers and University of Pittsburgh Panthers American football teams, members of the National Football League and National Collegiate Athletic Association respectively...
. Replays showed that he should have been marked out of bounds at about the 1 yard line, but the play was not challenged by Miami Dolphins coach Nick Saban quickly enough. Miller finished the season with 34 catches for 393 yards and 5 touchdowns.
In the 2007 Season, Miller set new career highs for touchdowns (7), receptions (47), and receiving yards (566). He benefited from new offensive coordinator Bruce Arians
Bruce Arians
Bruce Arians is the offensive coordinator for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Prior to holding this position, Arians served as the wide receivers coach for the Steelers, a position that he held with the team since the 2004 season...
' system of offense which called for 3 tight ends, giving Miller more chances to catch passes. 2007 was the breakout year that most experts expected him to have after being under-utilized in his first two seasons. In Super Bowl XLIII
Super Bowl XLIII
Super Bowl XLIII was an American football game pitting the American Football Conference champion Pittsburgh Steelers against the National Football Conference champion Arizona Cardinals to decide the National Football League champion for the 2008 season. The game was played on February 1, 2009,...
, Miller had 5 receptions for 57 yards and helped Pittsburgh win the game . Miller won his second Super Bowl Ring
Super Bowl ring
The Super Bowl ring is an award in the National Football League given to the winners of the league's annual championship game, the Super Bowl...
. Miller is gaining recognition as one of the best tight ends in the league. He is well balanced, being an exceptional receiver as well as a blocker. However, because the Steelers deemphasize tight ends in the passing game, he does not have exceptional statistics, and therefore is not as widely acknowledged. However, Miller still capitalizes on the few opportunities that he gets, rarely dropping a pass. He still makes significant contributions to the Steeler's passing game.
On July 29, 2009 the Steelers signed Miller to a new six-year contract that binds him to the team through the 2014 season. The contract is worth $35.3 million, including a $12.5 million signing bonus.
Miller was elected to his first Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
on January 25, 2010, replacing the Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
' tight end
Tight end
The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
Dallas Clark
Dallas Clark
Dallas Dean Clark is an American football tight end for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Colts 24th overall in the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Iowa...
who participated in the Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
.
For the 2010-2011 season, was elected by his teammates to be the offensive captain.
External links
- Heath Miller at NFL.com
- Current Stats
- Steelers Player Bio