Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker Nick Herbig during a game against the Baltimore Ravens on Jan. 7, 2026. — Ed Thompson. 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.
51 • Nick Herbig, Linebacker, Wisconsin
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 a fourth-round pick in 2023, Herbig has built a reputation as one of the NFL’s most efficient situational pass rushers. Over 45 career appearances through his first three professional seasons, the Wisconsin product has racked up 79 total tackles, 16.0 sacks, nine forced fumbles, and an interception despite making just 11 starts.
His production has steadily climbed year-over-year, moving from a 3.0-sack rookie campaign to a 5.5-sack sophomore year, and finally a breakout 7.5-sack performance in 2025. By routinely delivering game-changing plays in limited snaps behind T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith, Herbig has effectively forced his way into a major financial commitment and an expanded role on the Steelers’ defense
NICK HERBIG NFL CAREER STATS
Steelers linebacker Nick Herbig (51) celebrates during Jan. 1st 2026 game versus Ravens — Ed Thompson / Steelers Now
YearTeamGPGSSoloAst TFLScksFFFRIntPFF2025PITT156219137.531187.32024PITT13513955.542080.72023PITT17019853.021081.0
NICK HERBIG COLLEGE CAREER
Before arriving in Pittsburgh, Herbig was an absolute terror in the Big Ten, carrying on the proud tradition of elite Wisconsin outside linebackers. A four-star recruit out of Hawaii, he immediately cracked the Badgers’ starting lineup as a true freshman in 2020. Over 31 career starts in Madison, Herbig racked up 137 total tackles, 36.0 tackles for loss, and 21.0 sacks. His trajectory peaked during a dominant 2022 junior campaign where he led the Big Ten with 15.5 tackles for loss and topped the conference with 11.0 sacks—averaging an FBS-leading 1.0 sack per game. That final breakout year earned him consensus first-team All-Big Ten honors and a third-team AP All-American nod, solidifying the relentless edge-rushing traits that convinced the Steelers to draft him in the fourth round.
NICK HERBIG COLLEGE STATS
YearTeamGPGSSoloAstTFLScksPFF2022Wisconsin1111331415.51187.42021Wisconsin1313412314.5983.62020Wisconsin772336.0164.1
NICK HERBIG PRE-DRAFT TESTING
Measured at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine: 6-foot-2.125, 240 pounds; 31 1/4-inch arm length, 9 1/4-inch hand size.
Nick Herbig scored a 7.75 RAS (Relative Athletic Score) out of 10.
By structuring the extension to backload the major salary cap hits, general manager Omar Khan pulled off a textbook cap-management maneuver that protects Pittsburgh’s immediate flexibility. Herbig’s massive four-year, $100 million deal includes a $19.676 million signing bonus, which allows the Steelers to keep his 2026 cap hit at a highly manageable $5.43 million—representing a mere $1.58 million increase over his original rookie contract projection.
While the cap hit surges past $25 million in 2027 when his $21 million base salary kicks in, the structure heavily utilizes non-guaranteed roster bonuses between 2028 and 2030. This clever configuration shields the front office from excessive dead money down the road while keeping enough immediate breathing room to navigate upcoming extensions for cornerstone pieces like Joey Porter Jr.
ODDS AND ENDS
Born in Kauaʻi, Hawaii, Herbig moved out of his parents’ house completely before high school to move into his grandparents’ home on a separate island (Oahu). He did it specifically to play for the legendary powerhouse Saint Louis School in Honolulu—the same high school that produced quarterbacks Marcus Mariota and Tua Tagovailoa.
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Alan Saunders provided reporting from Pittsburgh.
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