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Steelers tightend Heath Miller plays against the Eagles at Heinz Field Aug. 2011. (Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review)
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
Published: Thursday, December 27, 2012, 12:18 p.m.
Heath Miller, who enjoyed the best season of his career even as the Steelers faded badly down the stretch, has been voted by his teammates as the Steelers‘ most valuable player.
Miller is the first tight end chosen since the award‘s inception in 1969.
Miller will miss the final game of the season Sunday against Cleveland after injuring three knee ligaments during the playoff-elimination loss against Cincinnati. He had surgery on Thursday.
“It‘s an honor and humbling, but the overriding factor is the disappointment of the season and not doing what we set out to do,” Miller said before having surgery.
The Steelers were 6-3 and in a strong position to make the playoffs after winning four in a row, but they have since lost five of six games. If they don‘t beat the Browns (5-10) on Sunday at Heinz Field, the Steelers (7-8) will finish with their first losing record since they went 6-10 in 2003.
Miller has a team-high 71 catches for 816 yards and eight touchdowns.
“I have been saying for years that he is my favorite player, but we just never coached it up to where he got the opportunity to come out and show what he has been able to do,” safety Ryan Clark said. “If you look, game in and game out this year, when he got opportunities to deliver, he delivered.”
Miller‘s receiving numbers are excellent, yet Clark said he might be an even better blocker.
“It goes unnoticed with all the great pass-catching tight ends how many can do what Heath does in the blocking game,” Clark said. “How many do you leave singled on defensive ends or blocking those guys in the run game? I have been really impressed with him.”
In other Steelers awards announced Thursday:
— Offensive lineman Mike Adams, who started six games at right tackle before getting hurt, was chosen as the team‘s rookie of the year, an award named for Hall of Famer Joe Greene. The Steelers were 4-2 when Adams started, during a stretch in which running backs Jonathan Dwyer (twice) and Isaac Redman (once) combined for three 100-yard games.
It‘s the second consecutive year a tackle won the award; Marcus Gilbert won last season.
“I‘m glad to keep it on the offensive line,” Adams said.
— Nose tackle Casey Hampton was selected for The Chief award by the Pittsburgh chapter of the Pro Football Writers of America for media cooperation. The award is named after Steelers founder Art Rooney Sr.
“I know how to talk,” Hampton said.
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