5 best all-time Seahawks tight ends
By Dan Viens
#2 Zach Miller
After 4 outstanding seasons in Oakland where he was a featured part of the passing game, Miller was surprisingly not re-signed by the Raiders. The Seahawks swooped in late in the free agency period and gave Miller a 5 year, $34 million dollar contract.
Miller never matched the offensive output he produced in Oakland, catching only 102 passes in 4 years as a Seahawk compared to 226 with the Raiders, but finishes as the 2nd best TE in team history because of the unselfish way he went about his business, and the important role he played as a blocker.
Instead of complaining in the media, or asking for a trade to a team where he would be a bigger part of the offense, Miller brought his lunch pail to work every day and helped out where the team needed it most, in protecting the passer. Often forced to stay in as an extra lineman, Miller may have even been the team’s best blocker at times.
An indictment of the offensive line play, to be sure, but also much to his credit.
Miller’s career highlight was a huge performance in Seattle’s loss to Atlanta in the divisional round of the NFC playoffs in 2012. He caught 8 passes for 142 yards and a score, coming up with 1st downs time and again as the Falcons loaded the box to try and stop the running game led by Marshawn Lynch.
Sadly, he would battle injuries much of the next two seasons, and was released in 2014 after failing a physical. He hasn’t played since, but his role in the Pete Carroll rebuild, and ultimately in the Seahawks first Super Bowl-winning team will always be remembered, more than his limited production as a pass catcher.
#1 Itula Mili
Mili may go down as one of the best value picks the Seahawks ever nabbed in the draft. A prolific, All-American tight end at BYU, Mili slipped to the 6th round after suffering a major knee injury his senior year. He then went on to play 10 years in Seattle. He’s the 2nd all-time leading TE in team history in receptions with 164, just two behind Fauria.
Mili grabs the top spot because he played his entire career in Seattle, and was a gifted receiver. While he may not have been much of a blocker, he wasn’t asked to do much of that.
His best season came in 2003, when he caught 46 passes for 492 yards and 4 TD’s. He also did some of his best work in the playoffs, with 18 catches for 160 yards in three post-season games.
In Mili’s final season with the Seahawks, he suffered a severe concussion in a week #11 MNF game against Green Bay and missed the rest of the season. He was released by the team after that season and chose to retire after contemplating the risk of further injury.
“Taking a shot like that really, really put things in perspective,” Mili said at the time. “I love the game to death, but something like this makes you stop and think.”
Next: Top 5 Seahawk RB's of all time
We didn’t have to think too long and hard about making Mili #1 on our list of 5 best all-time Seahawks tight ends.