The Pittsburgh Steelers and edge rusher Nick Herbig agreed to a four-year, $100 million extension Tuesday, including $42 million guaranteed, per ESPN. The deal makes Herbig the first player outside the quarterback position to land a nine-figure contract without having started an entire NFL season.
Across his first three years, Herbig appeared in 45 games but made just 11 starts—he has never opened more than six games in a single season. He ranks third on the depth chart behind T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith in the Steelers' pass-rushing rotation.
The numbers are doing most of the announcement work here, which is usually how teams prefer it.
"I wouldn't call myself 'not a starter.' I would just say I'm a team guy," Herbig said Tuesday. "If you need me to play off the ball, on the ball, need me to run down a punt, I'm a Steeler. There's no starters and backups. I'm a Steeler."
The financial picture
Watt remains the centerpiece of Pittsburgh's defense and is due $32 million fully guaranteed this season. Highsmith, meanwhile, carries a $14.5 million scheduled salary that is non-guaranteed—the kind of number that leaves a player vulnerable when the cap sheet gets tight.
Highsmith has just two years remaining on his deal. Herbig will be under team control for five years, Watt for three. The arithmetic is straightforward: one of them is now the odd man out in a group that can only offer two starting spots.
On the field production
Herbig logged 7.5 sacks, 13 tackles for loss and 18 quarterback hits last season—all career highs. He increased his sack total in each of the past two years and more than doubled his career tackle for loss figure in 2025.
The two sides had discussed terms throughout the offseason. Hours before the extension was announced, Herbig told reporters his goal was simple: "to be a Steeler for life."