BREAKING: Heath Miller retires

@RapSheet
The #Steelers announced that TE Heath Miller, who played all 11 seasons in Pittsburgh, has retired.

https://twitter.com/RapSheet/status/700758089507717121

shocking

HEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTTTTTTTHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

I didn't expect this for another year or two. Sad news. I know that Ben will miss him for sure.

Yeah........ Wow!

Quote :

Jeremy Fowler
ESPN Staff Writer


Tight end Heath Miller has retired from the Pittsburgh Steelers, the team announces. Was a stable starting tight end for a decade.

It's true.

http://www.steelers.com/news/article-1/Miller-retires-after-11-seasons/389127ea-7d00-4b89-a45d-3a66bb3c22c7


Well this sucks! Didn't see this happening this year. He was still productive and our best option. I guess we know now that a TE is a must early in this year's draft.

Good luck, Heath. Thank you for all you have contributed to the Pittsburgh Steelers and the NFL. You'll be sorely missed.

How does this change the draft??? Before, I think they could've passed on a good TE prospect in rounds 1-3 , but now I'm not so sure. I guess we'll find out how much the like Jesse James.

Maybe they'll take a look at Dwayne Allen in free agency?

wow! Just Wow! I mean WOW! Like WOWSERS!!!!

Remarkable young man with great talent and a knack for being the all around great TE. He never received the honors other receiving only TEs got in the league but Heath did his job better than most.

Sad to see him go!

DesertSteel wrote:

How does this change the draft??? Before, I think they could've passed on a good TE prospect in rounds 1-3 , but now I'm not so sure. I guess we'll find out how much the like Jesse James.

I have to believe that they go TE very early now. Even if James turns out to be the new number 1, there's still some question if that will be the case. Regardless, we need more depth there now as Rob Branchflower was let go earlier in the week. No doubt they draft one in the first 3 rounds with this news now. I wish we had one more season to figure out if Jesse James is the answer before Heath left. Now they may be forced to assume he isn't.

Buddha Bus wrote:

It's true.

http://www.steelers.com/news/article-1/Miller-retires-after-11-seasons/389127ea-7d00-4b89-a45d-3a66bb3c22c7


Well this sucks! Didn't see this happening this year. He was still productive and our best option. I guess we know now that a TE is a must early in this year's draft.

Good luck, Heath. Thank you for all you have contributed to the Pittsburgh Steelers and the NFL. You'll be sorely missed.

yeah, that certainly changes all of the mock drafts out there:

1(25) Hunter Henry TE Arkansas

Sounds like the Steelers knew this was going to happen since qoutes from Art Rooney, KC, Tomlin & Heath are coming up.

So it probably doesn't change their draft outlook since they it was coming.

Wait what? Why?!!

NOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Everybody loved Heath. We will miss him. Not enough to come off a CB in the first round though.

I didn't see this one coming...at least this year. I don't think his production fell off enough that he would retire.

I thought Heath would want to stick around one more year and see if we can get one more ring.

Free Agent TEs.  There are some under performers who we could get cheap.  

DeWayne Allen, Indianapolis Colts- too injury prone- will be pursued by many
Garrett Celek, San Francisco 49ers
Chase Coffman, Seattle Seahawks
Kellen Davis, New York Jets
Vernon Davis, Denver Broncos- experienced, tons of talent, will come at a bargain
Dorin Dickerson, Tennessee Titans
Rhett Ellison, Minnesota Vikings
Daniel Fells, New York Giants
Coby Fleener, Indianapolis Colts- underachiever, not a great blocker
Antonio Gates, San Diego Chargers
Richard Gordon, Baltimore Ravens
Ladarius Green, San Diego Chargers- I like a lot but drops a bunch
James Hanna, Dallas Cowboys
Clay Harbor, Jacksonville Jaguars
Michael Hoomanawanui, New Orleans Saints
Rob Housler, Chicago Bears
Marcedes Lewis, Jacksonville Jaguars- this is who I want.  struggled with bad QBs his whole career.
Anthony McCoy, Seattle Seahawks
Zach Miller, Chicago Bears
Tony Moeaki, Atlanta Falcons
Bear Pascoe, Detroit Lions
Logan Paulsen, Washington Redskins
John Phillips, San Diego Chargers
Allen Reisner, Baltimore Ravens
Craig Stevens, Tennessee Titans
Benjamin Watson, New Orleans Saints

Like everyone else I'm sad to see him go, but I'm really not that surprised.

I've noticed for the last couple of seasons - especially this past season - that Heath hasn't been himself.  In years past he'd catch a pass, take one or two big hits and then plow forward for a few more yards.  But lately he's been protecting himself more than sacrificing himself to the point where just catching the pass is good enough and the extra effort has been lacking.

I think he's listening to his body and it's telling him that it's more important to be walking upright twenty years from now than it is to continue to take the pounding and I think that's a smart move.

Jesse James seems very "Heath-like" in his overall play (he's had a great teacher) and I think he has the ability to take over where Heath left off.

I'll miss Heath and I'm sure Ben will too, but there's more to life than football and I'd rather see him move on now than to wait until his skills disappear or his body is destroyed.

It's been great having him though, I wish him well and thanks for the memories!

Wow unbefuckinlievable I wonder if they'll take a look at Hunter Henry TE from Arkansas that dude can play

Glad to watch him play his entire career here.

Think its a thin year for TE, so likely address in free agency and maybe still in the draft again in later rounds.

Stunned by the news thought one more year at least. 4 million in cap space opened up though. I am betting he was looking at his over all health with the Frontline episode and the movie coming out I am betting players are thinking more an more about life after football. Thank you Heath you were the epitome of what it means to be a Steeler.

Thanks for everything Heath. You were one of those Steelers like Lambert, Ward, Bettis... who epitomized what being a Steeler was.

This is shocking. I didn't really expect it but it's exactly the quiet class I'd expect him to retire with. I've been a big fan of Steeler TE's since the Cunnigham and Grossman days, hoping they can find a worthy replacement. I wonder if need and cap room now pushes them more towards a bigger free agency name in the secondary or TE so they can focus on drafting the other.

FanSince72 wrote:

Like everyone else I'm sad to see him go, but I'm really not that surprised.

I've noticed for the last couple of seasons - especially this past season - that Heath hasn't been himself.  In years past he'd catch a pass, take one or two big hits and then plow forward for a few more yards.  But lately he's been protecting himself more than sacrificing himself to the point where just catching the pass is good enough and the extra effort has been lacking.

I think he's listening to his body and it's telling him that it's more important to be walking upright twenty years from now than it is to continue to take the pounding and I think that's a smart move.

Jesse James seems very "Heath-like" in his overall play (he's had a great teacher) and I think he has the ability to take over where Heath left off.

I'll miss Heath and I'm sure Ben will too, but there's more to life than football and I'd rather see him move on now than to wait until his skills disappear or his body is destroyed.

It's been great having him though, I wish him well and thanks for the memories!

Agreed - one of my favorite Steelers from the second Super Bowl era - all he did was show up every week and take care of business for 11 seasons

But as you said, it was time - especially in the age of big play tight ends, Heath's role now consisted of making the catch and falling down - that was a problem in finishing drives in the red zone

Interesting that former Grantland/current ESPN writer Bill Barnwell had this observation yesterday when discussing what the Steelers should do about Timmons

Five moves each AFC North team should make

To reduce Timmons' cap hold, they'll have to give him a new deal -- probably a three-year contract to spread out what will be a comfortable signing bonus. It's the same thing the Steelers have done in the past, with Troy Polamalu and Heath Miller, and it ends poorly, with the Steelers paying a premium for a player who is a shell of his former self. That's arguably better than paying a reasonably talented inside linebacker as if he's the best defensive player in football, but it's not a solution, either.

3. Cut Cortez Allen, Shaun Suisham and Miller. If the Steelers designate Allen as a post-June 1 release, these three moves would combine to clear out just more than $10 million in cap space.

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/14786285/five-moves-bengals-browns-ravens-steelers-make-offseason-nfl

how does him retiring help our cap? by how much?

Wow. There's a Steeler for you. Thanks Heath for everything!

steelers5895 wrote:

how does him retiring help our cap?  by how much?

Just found this... Looks like $4 million for 2016.

http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/nfl-pittsburgh-steelers-news/2016/2/19/11069420/the-impact-heath-millers-retirement-will-have-on-the-steelers-salary

Heath was the consummate pro. A quiet leader that has been a classy mainstay during a great run of success. He spent his entire career with the team he loved, and the fan base that loved him unconditionally.

He has set the standard of how to conduct yourself on and off the field, and the type of teammate everyone should strive to emulate.

Heath will be missed. He has always been one of my favorite players.

I wish him nothing but the best, and I thank him for how he conducted himself and the effort he always gave. He played the game the way you wish everyone would, and was a big reason for the success of this team.

Happy trails Heath!