Nick Herbig made it clear that he wants to stay with the Pittsburgh Steelers for his entire career, and the team clearly feels the same way about him. They gave him a huge four-year contract extension, giving Herbig a huge payday despite the fact that he hasn’t been a starter. However, former Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce loves that Herbig got paid, and he gave the young pass rusher a ton of praise.
“The main reason I know Nick [Herbig] is because I played with his brother, Nate,” Kelce said Wednesday on his New Heights podcast. “I did a workout with Nick one offseason when he was still in college at Wisconsin.
“This kid’s like a fucking goddamn badger. I’ve gotta give him a shout out… He’s started some games when guys have gotten hurt, but he just flashes and makes plays. I’m telling you, he’s a stud. He’s a disruptor… I love the way he plays.”
Disruptor is the perfect description for Herbig. The Steelers drafted him in the fourth round in 2023, and he was behind T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith on the depth chart. He wasn’t expected to be anything more than a backup that could give either of them some rest. However, Herbig quickly carved out a role for himself.
Herbig only has 11 starts in his three NFL seasons, but he’s made the most of any action he’s seen. He’s got 16 sacks, 23 tackles-for-loss, and nine forced fumbles. When he’s on the field, Herbig has a knack for getting after the quarterback.
The Steelers even implemented a three-outside-linebacker package last year in order to get Herbig on the field more. While injuries to him, Watt, and Highsmith didn’t always allow that idea to flourish, it shows the Steelers see Herbig as more than just a backup.
This payday figures to get Herbig even more involved in the Steelers’ game plan, too. They aren’t going to pay him $20 million a year to sit on the bench. While the team likely won’t trade Watt or Highsmith before this season, Herbig’s presence gives them the flexibility to move on from either of those players next year.
Some people might question the Steelers’ decision to invest even more money into their defense, especially when they paid a backup like Herbig. However, he’s a young player whom they drafted and developed. He’s not even 25 years old yet. Letting a player like that walk out of the building would’ve been a mistake. Depending on how Herbig’s career continues to go, that deal might end up looking like a steal.
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