They say a quarterback’s best friend is the tight end.
For 11 years in Pittsburgh, that was the case between quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and tight end Heath Miller.
The two were close and had a strong bond, both on and off the field, helping put together some terrific moments in the history of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Appearing on the “Green Light Podcast” to discuss his career, Miller stated that he never lost sight of how lucky he was to be part of a Hall of Famer’s career like Roethlisberger, and that they were close from the beginning.
“Ben was drafted the year before me, so we were kind of the young guys on that offensive team. There were a lot of old veteran guys, so that ultimately brought us together,” Miller said, according to video via the show’s YouTube page. “We were roommates in training camp for a few years, so we spent a lot of time together. We had a lot in common. Our families just in general had a lot in common. And so, just based on those things, we were kind of close from the beginning.
“And, obviously when you play with a guy for 11 years and he’s your quarterback the entire time, that bond just grows and gets and gets better throughout time.”
That bond grew year after year, but what was so impressive was that it started strong and was quite quick, too.
The Steelers selected Miller 30th overall in the 2005 NFL Draft, coming off a 15-1 regular season. Roethlisberger, the No. 11 overall pick in 2004, had taken the Steelers to new heights, winning 13 straight regular-season games after being inserted into the starting lineup for the injured Tommy Maddox in Week 2, eventually helping lead the Steelers to the AFC Championship Game.
A few months after losing to the New England Patriots at home in the AFC Championship Game, the Steelers added Miller to the mix as the top tight end in college coming out of Virginia. Immediately, he was a hit.
As a rookie, Miller hauled in 39 passes for 459 yards and six touchdowns with 22 of his 39 receptions in the regular season going for first downs. He scored a touchdown in Week 1 against the Tennessee Titans to kick off his career on a 3-yard pass from Roethlisberger. He then scored at least one touchdown in four straight games from Week 4-7, scoring against the San Diego Chargers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Cincinnati Bengals and twice against the Baltimore Ravens.
In the playoffs, Miller had seven receptions for 107 yards, including a touchdown against the Indianapolis Colts on the road in the AFC Divisional Round, helping the Steelers ultimately win Super Bowl XL.
That bond that was established as a rookie with Roethlisberger lasted all the way through his career with the Hall of Fame quarterback. Miller become the greatest tight end in franchise history, ultimately landing him in the Steelers’ Hall of Honor with the Class of 2022.
Having that opportunity to play with Roethlisberger for 11 years is something that Miller never once took for granted.
“I feel very fortunate, not a lot of guys can say as receiver or tight end, if you could go to a team and say you’ll play with a Hall of Fame quarterback for 11 years, you’re like, ‘Yes, sign me up a hundred times out of a hundred,'” Miller said. “So, I don’t lose sight of how lucky I was to have been a part of his career.”
Miller certainly was lucky to be part of Roethlisberger’s career, but that’s not a one-way street. Roethlisberger was lucky to have a tight end as durable and dependable as Miller to throw to for 11 seasons, creating some big plays and special moments in Steelers’ history.
