Heath Miller Reflects on Ben Roethlisberger’s Iconic Super Bowl XLIII TD Pass: ‘People Always Talk about the Catch’

Heath Miller
Former Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Heath Miller at the Resilience Bowl on May 21, 2024. -- Ed Thompson / Steelers Now

Former Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Heath Miller recently appeared on the Green Light podcast to discuss his Steelers career, playing with Ben Roethlisberger, winning two Super Bowls, playing for Mike Tomlin and Bill Cowher, becoming a tight end and entering the coaching ranks of high school football.

In regards to one of Miller’s two Super Bowl victories, he thinks Roethlisberger doesn’t get enough credit for his iconic game-winning touchdown pass to Santonio Holmes in Super Bowl XLIII.

Holmes was named Super Bowl MVP, so Roethlisberger’s pass doesn’t always get the attention it deserves. Many Steelers fans and analysts make that argument that Roethlisberger should have been named MVP. Nevertheless, it was a spectacular throw and catch.

“Then for Ben’s play, it was amazing. It was one of the greatest throws and catches, people always talk about the catch, which was amazing by Santonio, but if you look at the throw and what he had to navigate to throw that ball over and into Santonio’s arms, it was the perfect pass at the perfect time,” Miller said.

“I was on the other side of the field coming across and I don’t know, I think it was too good for me to believe because I was like there is no way. There is no way. Everyone was celebrating and I was like, ‘Guys, stay calm, we may have to score again if this is incomplete.’ It was an amazing play and I was fortunate enough to have been on the field for both of those.”

Roethlisberger has stated multiple times that Miller was the best teammate that he’s ever had. The respect goes both ways.

“We were kind of, Ben was drafted the year before me and I was after him. We were kind of the young guys on that offensive team,” Miller said. “There were a lot of old veteran guys, so that ultimately brought us together. We were roommates in training camp for a few years.

“We spent a lot of time together. We had a lot in common and our families just in general had a lot in common. Based on those things, we were kind of close from the beginning. Obviously, when you play for a guy for 11 years and he is your quarterback the entire time, that bond just grows and gets better throughout time.”

“I feel very fortunate. Not a lot of guys, a receiver or a tight end, if you could go to a team and say you will play for a Hall of Fame quarterback for 11 years, you are like yes, sign me up 100 times out of 100. I don’t lose sight of how lucky I was to have been part of his career.”

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