Herbig

PITTSBURGH — Nick Herbig wants to be a Pittsburgh Steeler for life.

The outside linebacker is well on his way after agreeing to a new four-year deal on Tuesday that will keep him in Pittsburgh for the rest of the decade, a person with knowledge of the agreement told The Associated Press. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the contract has not yet been made public.

Herbig, a fourth-round pick out of Wisconsin in 2023 whose sack total has ticked up in each of his three seasons, was entering the final year of his rookie contract. He skipped some — but not all — portions of practice during Tuesday’s mandatory minicamp in an effort to protect his body while his agent and the Steelers ironed out the details.

“I mean business is business,” Herbig said a few hours before the new deal was finalized. “You know, I’m a football player. I’m here for football. I try to keep business separated from football as much as I can.”

The agreement is worth up to $100 million, heady territory for a player thought to be a little too small (6-foot-2, 240 pounds) to thrive in the NFL after winning Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2022.

Herbig essentially attached himself to perennial Pro Bowl edge rusher (and fellow Wisconsin alum) T.J. Watt after arriving in Pittsburgh, and the student has wasted little time emulating his mentor.

Herbig had 3.5 sacks as a rookie in 2023, 5.5 in 2024 before a breakout season in 2025, when he had 7.5 sacks (one-half more than Watt), forced three fumbles, picked off a pass and pounced on a loose ball in the end zone against Chicago in November for the first touchdown of his career.

First-year Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy met with Herbig in Arizona in March. While McCarthy understood the “business opportunity” Herbig was facing, he also praised Herbig for doing the necessary offseason work and being in constant communication with the club throughout the process.

“It’s great to have Nick here,” McCarthy said. “Nick’s excited about being here.”

The signing means the Steelers have devoted a significant chunk of their salary cap to outside linebackers. Watt is scheduled to have a cap hit of $42 million this season, with Alex Highsmith’s set at just over $20 million. Herbig was scheduled to make $3.8 million this year before the big payday.