The Pittsburgh Steelers tied Nick Herbig to the ir future Tuesday with a four-year, $100 million extension that includes $42 million in guaranteed money, according to ESPN.
Not Your Typical $100 Million Man
Herbig has played in 45 games across his first three pro season s but made just 11 starts—never more than six in a single year. That makes him the first non-quarterback in NFL history to land a $100 million deal with out having started an entire season.
The record does not need much decoration; it already does the talking.
He arrived in Pittsburgh as a depth piece behind T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith and stayed the re. Last season he set career highs with 7.5 sacks, 13 tackles for loss and 18 quarterback hits.
"I wouldn't call myself 'not a starter,'" Herbig said Tuesday. "I would just say I'm a team guy. If you need me to play off the ball, on the ball, need me to run down a punt, I'm a Steeler. The re's no starters and backups. I'm a Steeler."
Hours before his extension dropped, he told reporters it was his desire "to be a Steeler for life." The timing left little room for ambiguity about where the conversation was heading.
The Money Picture
Watt remains the crown jewel of the defensive line and will earn $32 million fully guaranteed this season. Highsmith is due $14.5 million in 2026, but that money is not guaranteed—a detail that matters when the payroll suddenly includes two nine-figure edge rushers.
Highsmith has two years left on his deal. Watt is locked for three more years, Herbig for five. That makes Highsmith the lowest earner of the three and the most logical candidate to become the odd man out in a rotation that only offers two starting jobs.