Steve Smith Has Been Repeatedly Teasing Anthony Miller Since Camp

Steve Smith Sr. is remembered as one of the biggest trash talkers in the NFL. It's not hard to understand why. He had loads of people telling him his entire life he couldn't succeed in football because he was too small. What can a 5'9 kid do in modern football? Five Pro Bowls, 14,000+ yards and 81 touchdowns later he didn't hear them talking anymore. So he knows what Anthony Miller is going through. According to Dan Wiederer of the Chicago Tribune, Smith has transitioned effortlessly into an analyst role for NFL Network. He works at the scouting combine during the wide receiver days each year and is quite good at it. That shouldn't be a surprise. He, like everybody else, knew who the likely top players at the position would be going into the draft. What he wanted to find were those who might be like him. An overlooked stud that would go in the second or third rounds because he was too short, too old or not quite fast enough. It didn't take him long to zero in on Miller, who'd been a star at Memphis. What impressed Smith the most about him was how hard he worked and how quickly he improved his game during college. So when the two finally met, it's no surprise they struck up a sort of big brother-little brother friendship.

Steve Smith making sure to not let Anthony Miller get full of himself

Smith knows a thing or two about self-confidence. He also knows how it can be a double-edged sword. It spurred him to amazing heights during his career, but it can also drift into the realm of overconfidence and humble one at times. That's why when he and Miller exchanged phone numbers and began conversing, he didn't hesitate to smack the youngster down whenever he got a big head.

Smith admires Miller’s self-confidence, mental toughness and willingness to work. The two keep in touch via text. They crossed paths at the NFLPA’s Rookie Premiere event this spring and again at the Hall of Fame Game in August. At that point, Miller was putting together an impressive training camp for the Bears, so much so that he was given that night off in Canton, Ohio, as a likely Week 1 starter. Miller kept telling Smith how ready he was to play. The five-time Pro Bowl receiver responded: “Come on, young pup! You’re not ready!” “I was just kind of messing with him,” Smith said. “And he loved it. Because he was like, ‘I want to prove you wrong.’ But he forgot, he doesn’t have to prove me wrong. I’ve already been voting for him. Still, I love that eagerness and enthusiasm.”

Miller is one of those guys who thrives on being doubted. The more people say he can't, the harder he works to show them he can. It's why he's looked like a polished veteran so quickly in this offense. Smith can see it because he was the exact same way. There's a reason Miller has idolized the man since he fell in love with football. The two are so much alike. The Bears have kept their plans for him under lock and key for the past month. Green Bay will be the first team to see what that is on opening night. Smith has no doubt they're in for a surprise.