Steelers Secure Nick Herbig With Four-Year, $100 Million Extension

The Pittsburgh Steelers and edge rusher Nick Herbig have agreed to a four-year, $100 million contract extension that includes $42 million guaranteed. NFL Network Insider Mike Garafolo and ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the deal Tuesday, June 2, 2026.

Herbig, a 2023 fourth-round pick entering the final year of his rookie contract, cashed in after a career-best 2025 campaign. He posted 7.5 sacks, 30 tackles including 13 for loss, three forced fumbles, three passes defensed and his first career interception. At 24 years old, the Wisconsin product now carries a $25 million average annual value — a rate that slots him just outside the top 15 edge rushers league-wide.

Herbig’s Breakout Season Turns Heads

Last season Herbig flashed the traits that make personnel executives salivate. His average get-off of 0.84 seconds paired with roughly 45 quarterback pressures and a 13.7% pressure rate showed he could win on obvious passing downs even in a rotational role. Sources noted he led the NFL in pass-rush win rate despite only a handful of career starts entering 2025.

The production came alongside veterans T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith, but Herbig carved out his own space. He forced fumbles, batted passes and delivered the kind of disruptive energy that turns good defenses into elite ones. For a player who waited his turn behind two established stars, the jump felt inevitable to those who watched him closely in practice.

Steelers Double Down on the Edge

This extension is both reward and strategy. The Steelers already invested heavily in Watt, handing the franchise cornerstone a three-year, $123 million extension last summer. They committed four years and $68 million to Highsmith back in 2023. Adding Herbig’s $25 million per year brings the group’s combined annual spend to roughly $83 million — second in the NFL only to Houston’s top-heavy commitments to Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter.

At 31, Watt has logged heavy snaps and dealt with the occasional injury bump. Highsmith remains a steady presence. Herbig gives Pittsburgh a younger, ascending piece who can carry the load deeper into the decade. The timing matters. By locking him in now, general manager Omar Khan removes any uncertainty heading into a 2026 season with clear playoff expectations.

Steelers Edge Rushers Contract Snapshot

A Smart Bet on Continuity and Prime Years

Herbig’s deal runs through 2030, comfortably beyond Watt’s current contract. That overlap gives the Steelers a bridge from the present star to the next wave. The 24-year-old enters his prime with financial security and a clear role alongside two proven rushers who have mentored him since draft day.

You could sense the satisfaction around the facility when the news landed. Players who grind together recognize when the organization values that work. For Herbig, the kid who arrived as a fourth-rounder and steadily earned more snaps, the moment carries extra weight. He now has the runway to become the long-term anchor on the opposite side from Watt or step into an even larger role if needed.

The Steelers’ pass rush already ranks among the league’s most feared units. This move ensures it stays that way for years, not just this season. Quarterbacks across the AFC North and beyond will have to prepare for three distinct rushers who can collapse pockets in a hurry.