Steelers tight end Heath Miller to retire

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Heath Miller has announced his plans to retire.

After 11 seasons in the NFL, Steelers legend Heath Miller has decided to call it a career, and a memorable one at that. The team confirmed Miller’s retirement on Friday.

Miller leaves the Steel City as Pittsburgh’s all-time leader in tight end receptions and touchdowns, and will go down as one of the greats to play the position. He also will be remembered for his durability, having missed eight games across the span of 11 seasons and often functioning as quarterback Ben Roethlisberger’s security blanket on third downs and in the red zone.

Even those who don’t wave Terrible Towels on a daily basis are probably familiar with Miller, whether it be as a dependable tight end option in fantasy football or as the guy responsible for those deep, resonating “HEEEEEATH” crowd reactions every time he caught the ball at Heinz Field. Over the course of his career, entirely spent with Pittsburgh, Miller accounted for 592 receptions, over 6,500 yards, and 45 touchdowns. Though his scoring production had begun to wane in recent years, his target and reception totals actually increased throughout his time as a Steeler.

Behind Miller on the depth chart are Matt Spaeth, a veteran just a year younger than Miller, and Jesse James, who played sparingly in his rookie season last year. Neither figures to account for all that No. 83 brought to this offense over the past decade, so it will be up to Le’Veon Bell, Antonio Brown, Martavis Bryant, Markus Wheaton and any offseason acquisitions to help Roethlisberger move the chains and maintain the high-powered Steelers offense in 2016.