Just like his team's playoff hopes, Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Heath Miller's potential Pro Bowl season ended with a thud due to a knee injury suffered Sunday afternoon at Heinz Field.
Coach Mike Tomlin said Monday that Miller injured the anterior cruciate, medial collateral and posterior cruciate ligaments in his right knee and will need surgery to repair the damage once the swelling subsides.
"He's been rock solid for us, and we really appreciate his efforts," Tomlin said. "He'll be facing surgery."
Miller initally injured his right knee early in the Steelers' 13-10 loss. He came up limping after a catch. Miller returned and tallied three catches for 45 yards, but he was targeted nine times by quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.
"He was shaken up, but I don't know if you could classify it as an injury,'' Tomlin said. "But he was shaken up earlier in the game, as often happens, but he was able to collect himself and come back and continue to play.''
With about three minutes remaining in the game, Miller attempted to block during an inside run by Rashard Mendenhall. Miller was knocked down and eventually had several players fall on him. He twisted the knee on the play and was trapped underneath several big bodies.
In 15 games this season, Miller has a team-best 71 catches for 816 yards -- 20 off the team lead -- and eight touchdowns, and he likely will be named the Steelers' team MVP later this week. The last Steelers tight end to lead the team in catches was Eric Green with 64 in 1994. Miller's previous best season was in 2009 when he had 76 catches for 789 yards and six scores.
"It's just an unfortunate injury to a man who has given us everything that he's had all season,'' Tomlin said. "We appreciate his efforts, but at the same time we acknowledge that injuries are part of the game. And, unfortunately for him, this brings his season to a close.
"I hadn't received any information in regard to what his rehabilitation is, and specifically what the minute details of his injuries are. ... We're talking about hours after a performance, so I think we need to let the dust settle to know exactly what it is that we're dealing with before we start framing his recovery or his rate of recovery.''
Notes: Running back Baron Batch suffered a right arm fracture during the game and had surgery this morning. ... Tomlin noted other injuries to wideout Mike Wallace (hip-rotator strain), offensive guard David DeCastro (left hamstring) and cornerback Curtis Brown (left ankle). ... Tomlin added that those players, as well as cornerback Ike Taylor -- who has missed three straight games with an ankle fracture -- and others would be evaluated to assess their availability for the Cleveland Browns Sunday at 1 p.m. at Heinz Field.
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