Steelers give Nick Herbig $100M extension

Nick Herbig agreed to a four-year, $100 million extension with the Pittsburgh Steelers on Tuesday, according to ESPN and an Associated Press report citing a person with knowledge of the deal. The contract includes $42 million guaranteed and keeps the outside linebacker with Pittsburgh through the end of the decade. The agreement surfaced during the Steelers’ mandatory minicamp, which opened June 2 at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. Herbig had reported to camp but did not take part in individual drills during the portion of practice open to reporters. ### How big is the deal Pittsburgh just gave Herbig? The $100 million figure makes this one of the Steelers’ biggest recent commitments to a non-quarterback defender. ESPN reported the extension runs four years and carries $42 million in guarantees, while the AP said the new deal would keep Herbig in Pittsburgh for the rest of the decade. The timing matters because Herbig was entering the final season of his rookie contract. (apnews.com) Pro-Football-Reference lists him as a fourth-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, selected No. 132 overall out of Wisconsin. ### What had Herbig done on the field before getting paid? Herbig, 24, has produced 16 sacks in his first three NFL seasons, according to Pro-Football-Reference. (apnews.com) In 2025, he played 15 games and posted 7.5 sacks, 30 total tackles, three forced fumbles and one interception. The 2025 season was his most productive so far. ESPN’s game log shows Herbig recorded sacks in six regular-season games last season, including a two-sack outing against Cleveland on Oct. 12. (pro-football-reference.com) ### Why was he not taking part in drills Tuesday? Tuesday’s minicamp session came with a visible contract backdrop. Steelers Now reported that Herbig was present at practice on June 2 but stood off to the side during outside-linebacker drills, holding his helmet while the rest of the group worked. (pro-football-reference.com) Mike McCarthy said before practice that Herbig had been in “constant communication” with the team about what he called a “business situation,” according to Steelers Now. (espn.com) McCarthy said contract matters can “change the course of their lives and the course of their family’s lives,” while adding that he remained focused on the football side. ### Where does Herbig fit in Pittsburgh’s edge-rusher group? (steelersnow.com) Pittsburgh has used Herbig behind T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith, even as his production climbed. Steelers Now reported that Highsmith is signed through 2027 and Watt is under contract through 2028, with guarantees through 2027, leaving Herbig to work in a deep outside-linebacker room. That context helps explain why Herbig’s contract became a minicamp issue even though he has not been a full-time starter. (steelersnow.com) His role has expanded over three seasons, and his statistical output has risen while playing in rotation. ### What happens next at Steelers minicamp? The Steelers’ official offseason schedule lists mandatory minicamp from June 2 through June 4. (steelersnow.com) The team said the three-day camp is part of Phase Three of the offseason program, when clubs can hold organized team activities but still without live contact. Wednesday, June 3 is Day 2 of that minicamp, and Thursday, June 4 is the final day on the Steelers’ published schedule. (pro-football-reference.com) Herbig’s next on-field participation, and any team confirmation of contract terms, would come during that remaining minicamp window. (steelers.com)