Nick Herbig recently received a four-year, $100 million contract extension with the Pittsburgh Steelers, and his rich new deal didn't go unnoticed. Veteran and team captain T.J. Watt was one of the first players to speak out and congratulate his young teammate.
Following Day 2 of mandatory minicamp, the Steelers media caught up with Watt. One reporter asked Watt when he knew Herbig would be a special football player, per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, and Watt insisted it was from the very beginning.
"Early on, I think watching his college tape. Just at the time, he was much further along than I was at that time. Just the raw talent that he had. It was just a matter of time... He really has grown up, and I think he still has a lot left in the tank to showcase moving forward."
It didn't take long for Herbig to make his presence felt on the football field, either.
Despite being a 20-year-old rookie to begin his NFL career, Herbig found his way onto the field in a small role, earning three sacks and five tackles for a loss. His production and efficiency only continued to scale from there.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have an ascending edge rusher in Nick Herbig
Watt and Herbig share a Wisconsin connection. Though their careers in the Big Ten on the Badgers didn't overlap, Watt worked out with Herbig and offered pass-rush advice as a mentor before Herbig was drafted.
Now on his second contract, Herbig is still just 24 years old and won't turn 25 until late November. He's, in fact, younger than Chargers' 2026 first-round pick Akheem Mesidor, who hasn't even made it to his rookie training camp yet.
And there's reason to believe the best is yet to come with Herbig.
Now that his contract is out of the way, Herbig can focus on football and taking the next step in his game. Though he doesn't have elite size or stopping power as a run defender, he possesses a tool bag full of pass-rush moves, incredible bend, and a remarkable feel for the game. This has helped him become one of the better young and up-and-coming pass rushers in the league.
Watt knows what the rise to stardom looks like.
As the 2021 Defensive Player of the Year, Watt's performance rose to the top of the league, and he had a record-setting season after earning his first contract extension.
While we certainly cannot expect Herbig to follow in Watt's footsteps, fans have high hopes for what he could offer the Steelers in his age-25 season and beyond. Herbig is coming off a campaign that included 7.5 sacks and nine tackles for a loss while finishing inside the top 15 in pass rush win percentage.
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