PITTSBURGH --Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker Nick Herbig is back on the practice field. He was a limited participant with a hamstring injury on Wednesday, the first time in three weeks that Herbig has taken the field since straining his hamstring against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Head coach Mike Tomlin said the team has a plan for Herbig, but they are unsure if that includes him playing Week 1.
Herbig noted that since the injury, he has only done light work, with Wednesday being the first day of any significant practice time. For right now, the plan is for him to take it day by day and see where he is at.
“I’m just taking it day by day,” Herbig said. “We’ll see how I feel. … “I feel like I have a great plan with Gabe [Amponsah], our head trainer. I think I’m progressing every day and just keep stacking days.”
Tomlin said that Herbig had a ‘really good day’ on Monday as the Steelers started to ramp him up toward returning to practice.
The idea for Herbig’s rehab is all about movement and keeping the muscle loose while he tries to improve. By doing so, the Steelers hope he can return soon.
“I’m just getting movement in: treatment, rehab, taking care of everything else, making sure I’m as ready as I can possibly be,” Herbig said.
He had a hamstring injury last year that forced him to miss four games.
“Any time you get injured, it’s frustrating, but it’s a part of the game, man. It happens, unfortunately enough. It didn’t happen mid-season, so I have some time to recover, take care of my body and hopefully, be ready for Week 1,” Herbig said.
In 13 games, he still set a career-high 5.5 sacks, adding four forced fumbles. He often credits some of the tricks that he has learned from T.J. Watt over their time training together. In July, J.J. Watt called Herbig “underrated.”
The Steelers drafted him in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft out of Wisconsin. Many teams wanted Herbig to flip to inside linebacker, citing his size as an issue, but the Steelers saw his explosiveness and bend and kept him at outside linebacker. Now, they are reaping the benefits of that projection.
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.