The Pittsburgh Steelers locked up Nick Herbig with a four-year, $100 million extension that includes $42 million guaranteed, the team announced Tuesday. The deal makes Herbig—the third wheel in Pittsburgh's pass-rush rotation—the first non-quarterback in league history to command a nine-figure contract without ever starting a full NFL season.
A niche specialist's market value
Across three seasons, Herbig logged 45 appearances but only 11 starts, never surpassing six starts in any single campaign. He's worked primarily as the third option behind T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith, a depth role that typically earns bench money. The contract language suggests the Steelers see him differently.
The numbers are doing most of the announcement work here, which is usually how teams prefer it.
"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 math tells a sharper story. Watt's $32 million this season is fully guaranteed. Herbig's new deal runs five years. Highsmith's scheduled $14.5 million is non-guaranteed, with only two years remaining. A group with two starting jobs now carries three significant contracts—and the veteran is suddenly the most exposed.
Production trending upward
Herbig's tape justified the investment. He posted career highs last season: 7.5 sacks, 13 tackles for loss, and 18 quarterback hits—numbers that nearly doubled his previous tackle-for-loss tally. The trajectory pointed toward eventual feature snaps.
Hours before the extension leaked, Herbig told reporters he wanted "to be a Steeler for life." The feeling now appears mutual, even if the playing time doesn't immediately match the salary.