The Tribune-Review sports staff is conducting a daily countdown of the best 100 players in Pittsburgh pro and college sports history to wear each jersey number.
No. 83: Heath Miller
Making the call for the best to wear No. 83 in Pittsburgh sports history came down to a battle of a couple of familiar fan calls that rang out on the North Side two decades apart.
“Louuuuuuuu” was the original, but in the end, “Heeeeeeeeath” won out.
Louis Lipps was a favorite of those at Three Rivers Stadium in the 1980s. The wide receiver was one of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ best players of that bridge decade between the four-time Super Bowl champions of the 1970s and the Bill Cowher era of consistent winning that began in 1992. By the time Lipps was done playing for the Steelers after the 1991 season, he had reached No. 2 all-time in receptions in franchise history.
But Lipps since has been surpassed by three others — including tight end Heath Miller.
Miller was a reliable starter for 11 seasons with the Steelers and part of three AFC champion teams and two that won Super Bowl rings. Between 2005 and ‘15, any of the first-round pick’s catches were met with a chant by tens of thousands that elongated the “E” sound in his first name.
Heeeeeeeeath!
Miller was one of 11 players to play in all three of the Steelers’ most recent Super Bowl appearances (wins after the 2005 and ‘08 seasons, a loss at the end of the ‘10 season). He ended up third all-time in team history in receptions (592, 234 more than Lipps) and fourth in receiving yards (6,568, edging Lipps’ 6,018). Miller leads all Steelers tight ends in every career statistical category.
But Miller was perhaps best renowned for his blocking. Miller joined what were run-oriented Steelers offenses that evolved as his career went on. After Miller’s two best statistical seasons, he made the AFC Pro Bowl roster: in 2009 after having a career-high 76 catches for 789 yards and six touchdowns, and in ‘12 after posting 71 catches with career bests in yards (816) and touchdowns (eight).
Check out the entire ‘Burgh’s Best to Wear It series here.
