Steelers Legend Ben Roethlisberger Makes His Surprising Admission About His Favorite Target Ever

The Pittsburgh Steelers have had a ton of success over the last two decades, and at their best, the future Hall of Famer Ben Roethlisberger was under center. In his tenure, the quarterback won two Super Bowls, each with a different head coach. Roethlisberger had a plethora of great receivers during his time in Pittsburgh, and it helped him come into his own -- especially as a young signal-caller. He instantly had success in the Steel City and is considered by many to be one of the greatest quarterbacks of all-time. 

Roethlisberger threw for over 64,000 yards and 418 touchdowns in his career, both ranking in the top 10 all-time. His favorite target for those passes and touchdowns was revealed in a recent episode of the Deebo & Joe Show, and Roethlisberger reminisced about his former teammate. The former 2x Super Bowl champion didn't even hesitate when giving his response when asked who his favorite receiver was. 

"My favorite receiver to play with was Heath Miller. Heath Miller was different. He was a guy who, when he dropped a pass, it was like record screech, like, 'What happened?' You know?" Roethlisberger said. "He was always in the right place. He was hard-nosed. He wasn't afraid to block. He was my comfort blanket. I will take Miller in a game of flag football any day."

Miller was always one of Roethlisberger's most effective targets and the pair were known for improvising when the pocket broke down, creating big plays down field. The pair had amazing chemistry and went on to win many games together. Miller and Roethlisberger both spent their whole careers in Pittsburgh, creating a ton of highlight tape moments. 

Miller was drafted with the 30th overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft by Pittsburgh out of the University of Virginia. The tight end shockingly fell to the Steelers there, and they had to take him to pair with Roethlisberger. Miller spent 11 years with the Black and Gold and went on to be one of, if not, the greatest tight end in franchise history. Miller earned two Pro Bowl nods (2009 and 2012) and two Super Bowl rings. As a rookie, Miller was voted second in AP Offensive Rookie of the Year voting and went on to be a mainstay for the Steelers' offense. 

Miller's play stayed consistent through two head coaching tenures, and the tight end remained valuable all the way up until his retirement after the 2015 season. Miller scored 45 touchdowns in his career, 41 of those being from Roethlisberger. The tandem proved that they made one another better, and Miller was always one of Roethlisberger's favorite targets. The two remain friends today and are just another example of how valuable a consistent weapon and chemistry are to a quarterback's success, like Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce. 

The Steelers Need To Get Back To Using Tight Ends Like Heath Miller

The Steelers have two very intriguing tight ends on their roster right now in Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington. The two have been effective when given the opportunity, but have been underutilized as of late. The Steelers are successful when they use all of the weapons at their disposal. Freiermuth has proven that he is a great asset to the team and can be a top tight end in the league. He was severely underused last season, as the tight end room was packed with talent. The now cut trade acquisition from last season, Jonnu Smith, received more snaps than Freiermuth on offense.

If the Steelers want their offense to run like a well-oiled machine, they need to use their tight ends more. The Steelers have a brand new offense this season with the addition of a brand new coaching staff. The hope is that this new system will unlock players like Freiermuth and Washington. 

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