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Josh Miller

(1970 - )

Josh Miller is a Jewish American former professional football player.

Miller (born July 14, 1970) was born in Queens, New York and attended East Brunswick High School in East Brunswick Township, New Jersey, where he was an All-State pick in football (playing wide receiver, in addition to handling the duties of punting where he still holds some career records) and track (as a high jumper), as well as playing guard in basketball.

Miller attended Scottsdale Community College for two years and was a letterman in football with the Fighting Artichokes. He was a two-time All-Western State Football League pick at punter. Miller transferred to the University of Arizona and was a two-year letterman in football. He was an All-Pacific Ten Conference selection and an All-America selection as a senior.

After graduating from Arizona, Miller spent the 1994 and 1995 seasons playing for the Baltimore Stallions of the Canadian Football League, and was a member of the 1995 Grey Cup champion team. Miller led the CFL in punting average in each of his years in the league. Miller recorded a “single” in the 83rd Grey Cup when a punt, aided by a 50-km/h wind at Taylor Field in Regina, Saskatchewan bounded over the head of a Calgary Stampeder return man and out the back of the end zone to award Baltimore a single point. He is one of a select few players who have won both both Grey Cup and Super Bowl rings.

In 1996 he joined the Steelers, with whom he stayed until 2003. In 1998 Miller led the NFL by placing 34 of his 81 punts inside the 20-yard line. Miller’s best statistical season to date was the 1999 season, when he was selected as a Pro Bowl alternate, averaging 45.2 yards per kick and gaining a net average of 38.1 yards. Both his net and gross averages ranked third in the NFL, and second in the AFC. Miller boomed a career-long 75-yard punt against Jacksonville in 1999, tying him for the second-longest punt in Steelers history.

In 2000, Miller placed 34 of his 90 punts inside the 20-yard line, tying his career high (1998) and finishing second in the NFL.

Before the 2004 season he signed with the Patriots, with whom he played during the 2004, 2005, and 2006 seasons. In 2005, Miller finished fourth in the NFL with a 45.1 punt average, a figure that ranks second in single-season Patriots history.

In his career with the Patriots, he played in 42 straight regular season games, before being placed on injured reserve on November 24, 2006. (Thanks to a rather bizarre set of circumstances, the Patriots ended the season with five punters on their payroll--Miller, his predecessor Ken Walter, Todd Sauerbrun, and practice squad members Tom Malone and Danny Baugher.) During training camp, Miller competed with Baugher and Malone, but was released on August 16, 2007.

On September 21, 2007 Miller signed with the Tennessee Titans due to injuries to Craig Hentrich, and made his debut against New Orleans Saints on September 24, 2007. On December 17, 2007 the Titans released him. He was later resigned by the Titans on May 23, 2008, but was released for the last time four games into the 2008 season.

Miller is currently a radio analyst in Pittsburgh.


Sources: Wikipedia