Nick Herbig can smile about it now. He can look back on the stress, the waiting, the uncertainty, and the mental tug-of-war that came with chasing his first major NFL contract.
That’s all far easier to do after the money hits.
Herbig recently landed his new deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers, joining Chris Boswell and Darnell Washington as finished business this offseason. Joey Porter Jr. and Keeanu Benton are still waiting, though, and Herbig’s message to them should resonate because he just lived through the same thing.
During an appearance on teammate Cam Heyward’s podcast, “Not Just Football,” Herbig was asked what advice he’d give to Porter and Benton as their own contract situations continue to hang over the Steelers.
Herbig gestured up with praying hands.
“Please get it done,” he said.
That might’ve sounded simple, but Herbig didn’t pretend the process was easy just because his ended well.
“It’s easy for me to say now that I got it done,” Herbig said.
That’s the part Porter and Benton can’t afford to ignore. Herbig didn’t make contract negotiations sound like some business detail players can easily push aside once practice starts. The waiting game gets heavy.
The Pittsburgh Steelers cannot let Joey Porter Jr. and Keeanu Benton linger
“It was a long, long process,” Herbig shared. “There’s going to be days where you’re not angry, but you’re mad, you’re irritated, and there's days where it is what it is.”
That’s what Porter and Benton are living now. The money is one thing, but the mental side of waiting for a life-changing contract can be just as hard to manage. Herbig admitted that tuning it out sounds a lot easier than it actually is.
“And then you're just trying your hardest not to think about it and not let it distract you and just stay locked in and keep working and work while you wait, basically,” Herbig said. “But to me, it was kind of almost impossible to not think about it. That's like a monumental time in your life. It's life-changing, not just for you, but for everybody around you.”
Herbig isn’t preaching from a distance, but he’s speaking as someone who knows how quickly frustration can creep in when the deal isn’t done yet.
“You just got to work your a** off and hope for the best,” Herbig said. “If it doesn't happen, it wasn't meant to be, I believe.”
Porter has totaled 165 tackles, 31 passes defensed, three interceptions, and one sack over his first three seasons. He’s become one of Pittsburgh’s most important young defenders, and with the cornerback market rarely getting cheaper, he has every reason to want his deal done before the price climbs again.
Benton’s case is different but equally important. In 2025, the former second-round pick posted 51 total tackles and 5.5 sacks, ranking fourth in sacks among his peers. That’s growth from a young defensive lineman who’s still climbing.
Benton isn’t just another rotational body. His play style brings power, disruption, and athleticism to the table—enough to create problems on the inside. For a Steelers defense built around toughness up front, it’s essential.
Herbig isn’t pretending money doesn’t matter, but he knows first-hand that the waiting can mess with a player’s mind. He also knows the only thing Porter and Benton can control is the work.
Add us as a preferred source on Google