Heath Miller defined the tight end position not just for Pittsburgh Steelers fans but also for a generation. He wasn’t necessarily “the last complete tight end”, but he represented a certain way of playing the position that was traditional. He could make the plays you need in the passing game, but he never shied from the dirty work. That’s why he would consistently play 1,000 snaps per season or so, rarely leaving the field.
Miller wasn’t the first great tight end in franchise history, either, at least in one aspect or another. But he is the one who epitomizes the Steelers’ tight end. And he is the standard by which the Steelers’ tight ends of today measure themselves. So they might be happy to hear that he feels they are doing him proud.
“The tight end room here could really be a strength of this team. I would be really surprised if it weren’t this season”, Miller said on Cameron Heyward’s Not Just Football podcast. He praised their completeness as blockers and receivers in particular. “I think the whole room does both really well. That makes me proud to say that I was a part of that group at one point”.
Of course, such a comment is just the epitome of humility. Pat Freiermuth, whom he praised, wouldn’t put himself on the same level as Miller, certainly not as a blocker. He plays in a different era that also favors more targets to the tight end and more targets overall.
Miller, for example, only received 90-plus targets three times in his career and 70-plus six times. Freiermuth drew 79 targets as a rookie and then 98 in 2022. He only got 47 targets last season, but that comes with extenuating circumstances, including injury.
Freiermuth has a good personal relationship with Miller. They continue to keep in touch, and Miller clearly keeps abreast of his former team. He is looking forward to watching Darnell Washington in his second season, for one thing. He talked about the grind of a rookie season and his expectations for the big Georgia Bulldog.
“Everything will be a little bit slower for him”, Miller said of Washington going into his second season. “A lot of guys, you see the big leap in his second year. He has all the ability in the world. I think he played great last year, from my perspective, from what I saw”.
Miller also alluded to a new offense, though he didn’t have anything really to say about Arthur Smith specifically. I’m sure he is familiar with Smith’s reputation as a tight-end-friendly coach. After all, he was a tight ends coach before becoming a coordinator.
This might be the most enjoyable Steelers season for Miller to watch since he retired, at least from the perspective of his former tight end room. There should be plenty for them to do. And he thinks it’s cool that Cam’s little brother, Connor Heyward, is wearing his jersey, by the way. Because, of course, he would. He’s Heath Miller.
