The Pittsburgh Steelers didn’t play their best football in Week 10 against the Los Angeles Chargers. Most of their problems came on offense. That group only scored 10 points, with the lone touchdown coming in garbage time. The Steelers’ defense had a decent day, especially when it came to pressuring Justin Herbert. He got sacked five times. However, Nick Herbig got fined $6,656 for unnecessary roughness on his sack on Herbert.
Steelers OLB Nick Herbig was fined $6,656 for Unnecessary Roughness (Hip-drop tackle) versus Chargers in Week 10. #Steelers #NFL
— Steelers Depot 7⃣ (@Steelersdepot) November 15, 2025
The reason given is that it was a hip-drop tackle. That foul has become more of a point of emphasis for the NFL recently. The goal is to make the game safer, with hip-drop tackles being dangerous. Players have suffered major injuries due to that foul, and the NFL is trying to better prioritize safety.
The play in question came with around nine minutes left in the second quarter. It was 1st down, and Herbig made a good move to get around the edge and bring Herbert down. While he wasn’t flagged, it looked like a hip-drop tackle at the time. Therefore, it isn’t too surprising that Herbig got fined for it.
It looked like Herbert got a little dinged up on that play, too. He took an extra second to get up, and his ankle seemed to be bothering him. Still, that didn’t stop him from having a solid game against the Steelers.
The Chargers finished off that drive with a field goal, putting them up 5-3. Herbig’s sack helped keep Los Angeles out of the end zone, but this fine is likely a little extra salt on the wound after the Steelers lost. Herbig wasn’t trying to do anything dirty, but unfortunately, the rule is what it is.
The Steelers’ defense shouldn’t be too discouraged by its efforts against the Chargers, though. It was a fine performance overall, especially when compared to some of its earlier showings. The Steelers’ defense only allowed 13 points through three quarters. It wasn’t until the fourth quarter when the game was out of hand that the Chargers started to move the ball better.
We’ll see if the Steelers’ defense can have a more complete day this week. Herbig is primed for a lot of responsibility. Alex Highsmith is out, and that sets Herbig up to be a starter. He’s had a good season so far, so hopefully, he has a big impact against the Bengals, and he walks away without any finable offenses.
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