Steelers Now
PITTSBURGH — For the last three seasons, Nick Herbig was the ultimate luxury for the Pittsburgh Steelers defense. He was the high-energy spark plug waiting in the wings behind superstars T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith, making plays at a frantic pace despite starting only 11 games in his career.
He was the “Next Man Up.” Now, he is being paid like the main event.
The Steelers locked in the 24-year-old pass rusher with a massive four-year, $100 million contract extension, featuring $42 million guaranteed. The deal vaults Herbig into the upper echelon of edge-rusher compensation, but it also creates an intriguing logjam—and plenty of questions—about how Pittsburgh will distribute snaps and salary cap space along the edge moving forward.
Before putting pen to paper, Herbig kept a level head about the looming contract negotiations during spring workouts, showing up to support his teammates while the front office hammered out the details.
“I keep business, business, and football, football. I’m here,” Herbig told reporters.
With the business side officially settled, the focus shifts entirely to the gridiron. Under a re-imagined defensive system, the Steelers face the enviable but expensive problem of having three premier edge threats. Herbig, who racked up a career-high 7.5 sacks and three forced fumbles last season, isn’t sweating the logistics or demanding a specific role. He is ready to line up wherever he is needed to make an impact.
“I’m a team guy. If you need me to play off the ball, on the ball, need me to run down on point, I’m going to steal it,” Herbig told Steelers Now at OTAs.
Whether that versatility means taking on a hybrid role or forcing a heavier rotation with the veteran stars, one thing is certain: Herbig is no longer just a backup plan. He is the future of the Pittsburgh defense.
Acquired: Herbig follows a long lineage of homegrown talent—like James Harrison or Alex Highsmith—who bided their time before anchoring the Pittsburgh defense. Selected in the fourth round of the 2023 draft out of Wisconsin, Herbig maximized limited situational snaps behind established stars to force management’s hand early. By locking him down with a historic four-year, $100 million extension ($42 million guaranteed), the front office ensures defensive continuity well ahead of free agency, securing the next foundational piece of the Steelers’ pass rush.
Last Year: Herbig is coming off a breakout 2025 campaign that proved he was vastly outgrowing a depth-chart designation. Serving as the ultimate chess piece over 15 regular-season games, he weaponized his situational snaps to rack up a career-high 7.5 sacks, 30 tackles, three forced fumbles, and his first career interception. Even without an every-down starting title, his efficiency as a pass rusher ranked seventh among all NFL edge defenders according to PFF metrics—delivering a constant stream of game-changing plays that made an immediate financial commitment from management a necessity.
Pro Career: Since landing in Pittsburgh as...
