The Pittsburgh Steelers handed edge rusher Nick Herbig a four-year, $100 million extension Tuesday, locking him into the team's long-term future. The deal includes $42 million guaranteed.
It is, by one measure, a historic contract. Herbig is believed to be the first non-quarterback in NFL history to land a $100 million deal without having started a full season. Across his first three years, he logged 45 appearances with just 11 starts—never more than six in a single year. He has been, effectively, the third option behind T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith.
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,'" Herbig told reporters 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. There's no starters and backups. I'm a Steeler."
The money, however, may soon sort out what the depth chart could not. Watt remains the crown jewel of the defensive front with $32 million fully guaranteed this season. Highsmith's scheduled $14.5 million earnings are non-guaranteed, and he has just two years left on his deal—the shortest commitment among the three.
Rising production, rising price
Herbig's production has climbed steadily. He posted career highs last season: 7.5 sacks, 13 tackles for loss, and 18 quarterback hits. The sack number doubled his previous best, and his tackle-for-loss total more than doubled his career tally entering 2025.
Hours before his extension was announced, Herbig told reporters his goal was simple: "to be a Steeler for life."
The financial commitment now places him there for five more seasons. What it means for the player immediately ahead of him—that is less certain.