By ERIC KNOPSNYDER
LATROBE — Heath Miller’s new contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers did not come with any demands for Ben Roethlisberger to throw his way more often.
Despite being arguably one of the NFL’s top tight ends, Miller only had 48 receptions last year.
While that was a career high, it was only half as many passes as Tony Gonzalez – the NFL’s top receiving tight end – had.
Miller, who is in his fifth year with the Steelers, is fine doing whatever he can for the defending Super Bowl champions.
“I think I get a good amount of opportunities here,” he said Friday after reporting to training camp at St. Vincent College in Latrobe.
“I try to be the best that I can be at whatever job they ask me to do. If I’m asked to do that job, I’ll work as hard as I can to be as good as I can be at it.”
That’s one of the reasons the Steelers signed Miller to a six-year contract extension this week that is reportedly worth $35.3 million.
“Being able to get a contract extension done with Heath … was one of the priorities for the offseason,” Steelers President Art Rooney II said. “Being able to come into camp knowing that Heath is going to be a Steeler for many years is very exciting.”
The feeling was mutual for Miller.
“I feel very fortunate to have been drafted here,” Miller said after thanking the Rooney family and coach Mike Tomlin, among others, for making the deal happen.
“I think it’s the best organization in sports. I’m lucky to be here for a few more years.”
Now Miller’s goal is to keep the team on track to repeat, something that didn’t happen after the Steelers won Super Bowl XL four years ago.
The following season, they fell to 8-8 and missed the playoffs.
“Hopefully we’ve learned a lot of lessons from that first time around,” Miller said.
“The thing that I’ve taken is that it’s a whole lot easier to go through it the second time around than it is to win the first time. We realize that with 2006. Hopefully there will be carryover and we’ll have a greater focus and a greater desire to be better this time.”
And with a new contract in hand, Miller has one less distraction heading into the season.
“Just happy to have this part of it behind me,” he said of the negotiations. “And now, before camp even starts, my sole focus is on the season – not that it wouldn’t have been, but this part is behind me now.”
