Getty Ex-Bears wideout Anthony Miller has signed a new deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Anthony Miller has found a new home.
The former Chicago Bears wide receiver has signed a future/reserves deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers, according to the NFL’s Jan. 24 waiver wire. The Bears moved up in the 2018 NFL draft to select Miller in the second round (51st overall) out of Memphis, sending a 2018 fourth-rounder and a 2019 second-rounder to the New England Patriots in exchange for the pick.
The 27-year-old wideout spent three seasons with the Bears, from 2018–2020, playing in 47 games, starting 17. He caught 134 passes on 215 targets for 1,564 yards and 12 touchdowns in that span, but he never developed into the solid No. 2 in the slot the Bears hoped. Miller led the team in receiving scores as a rookie in 2018, but his play declined after that, compounded by multiple shoulder injuries.
In July 2021, the Bears shipped Miller and a 2022 seventh-round draft pick to the Houston Texans in exchange for a 2022 fifth-rounder. He played just two games with the Texans before getting released. The Steelers added him to their practice squad in October of the 2021 season and he was eventually elevated to the active roster, playing in just one game.
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Miller’s Time in Chicago Didn’t End Well
In his final game for the Bears, Miller was ejected in the third quarter of Chicago’s wild-card loss to the New Orleans Saints for punching defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson in the head/helmet.
Welp. #Bears WR Anthony Miller ejected for throwing punch.
The ejection was a disappointing end to his time in the Windy City, and Miller later said he and the team had agreed to part ways.
“On both ends, we just felt it was best for the team,” Miller told reporters on Aug. 6 about his exit from the Bears. “I’ve had some tension with the coaches, tensions with upstairs, (the front office). But they want me to succeed at the end of the day. I hope they have a great season as well. We broke it off with no bad blood. It was very professional.”
The wideout also noted he regretted punching Gardner-Johnson.
“Oh, yeah, of course I regret that,” Miller added, in reference to his ejection against the Saints. “I let that guy get under my skin to the point where I put hands on him. But it’s a new Anthony Miller this year. I’m approaching everything very professional. It’s an important year for me as well — contract year, but I love football too, so anything that’ll take me off the field, I’m not gonna do anymore.”
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Miller Hasn’t Fared Well Since Leaving Chicago
After getting traded by the Bears, Miller has played in just three games. He was unceremoniously released by the Texans in favor of 36-year-old Danny Amendola, a move that prompted many, including The Draft Network’s Bryan Perez, to label him a bust.
He caught only six passes for 25 yards and a TD during the 2021 season.
Texans are releasing former #Bears WR Anthony Miller. It’s now safe to officially call Miller a second-round bust.
If he stays healthy, Miller has a shot at a roster spot, particularly if the Steelers don’t re-sign wideout JuJu Smith-Schuster.
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