Behind the Steel Curtain
Earlier in the week, we talked about how Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker Nick Herbig has been too productive to take off the field. Just a few days later, it appears we finally have confirmation from Steelers defensive coordinator Teryl Austin that Herbig will indeed see the field more.
When Austin spoke to the media on Thursday, he did not shy away from speaking on Herbig’s play and his intent to get him on the field more.
“He’s gonna play a lot of snaps for us and play a lot of football, and it’s my job to find ways to get him on there, to keep him on the field,” Austin said. “He’s a splash player, he’s always around the ball, he makes it miserable for offensive tackles.”
Austin also commented on how Herbig has evolved as a player since his arrival in Pittsburgh. Per Nick Farabaugh of Penn Live, Austin talked about how when Herbig was drafted, most of the staff envisioned Herbig as a player who would only be a pass rusher. Now, that has changed, as Herbig continues to develop into a good run defender as well, an area that Pittsburgh has struggled with throughout the early parts of their season.
Herbig’s impact has been easy to see this season with two forced turnovers to go along with 2.5 sacks. Having Herbig on the field more to keep T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith fresh will hopefully help the Steelers’ edge rushers stay healthy throughout the duration of the season. How much Herbig plays moving forward, and the situations he will be used in, is something to monitor over the next couple of weeks.
As Austin said, “He’s playing well, and so guys who play well get rewarded by playing more.”
