Nate Herbig Bio
Nathaniel William Herbig is an American former professional football guard who played six seasons in the National Football League (NFL). Standing 6 feet 4 inches tall and playing around 151 kilograms, Herbig was known for his work on the interior offensive line across stops with the Philadelphia Eagles, New York Jets, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Washington Commanders. After beginning his career as an undrafted free agent out of Stanford, he carved out a long NFL tenure through positional versatility and durability.
Early Life and Background
Nathaniel William Herbig was born on July 10, 1998, in Lihue, Hawaii, on the island of Kauai. He grew up in the nearby town of Kalaheo before relocating to Oahu after his freshman year of high school to attend Saint Louis School in Honolulu. The move allowed him to compete at a higher level of high school football and develop against top competition in the islands.
Herbig was named first-team All-State as a senior at Saint Louis School, establishing himself as one of the top interior linemen in Hawaii. He originally committed to play college football at Stanford after his junior year, then briefly de-committed and reopened his recruitment before ultimately re-committing to the Cardinal after weighing offers from California and Washington.
Path to American Football
Herbig followed a traditional Pacific Islands pipeline into major college football, using high school success at Saint Louis School to earn a scholarship at Stanford. The move from Kauai to Honolulu, and then to the Pac-12 Conference, marked a steady progression through increasingly competitive levels of the sport.
His family background gave him an early grounding in athletics. His father, Bruce Herbig, played football and basketball at Lewis and Clark College, and his grandfather played football at Wheaton College in Illinois. That multi-generational football lineage helped shape Herbig’s understanding of the game before he ever stepped onto a college field.
Nate Herbig Career
College Career at Stanford (2016–2018)
Herbig played three seasons for the Stanford Cardinal after arriving on campus as part of the 2016 recruiting class. As a freshman, he appeared in all 13 of Stanford’s games with six starts at left guard and was recognized as a freshman All-American by ESPN. His early production signaled that he could hold up against Pac-12 defensive linemen despite his youth.
Herbig shifted to right guard as a sophomore and made 13 starts, earning first-team All-Pac-12 Conference honors in 2017. As a junior in 2018, he was named second-team All-Pac-12 while making six starts at right guard and one start at right tackle, though he missed six games because of an injury. Following that junior season, Herbig announced that he would forgo his final year of college eligibility and declare for the 2019 NFL draft.
Philadelphia Eagles Era (2019–2021)
Originally projected as a possible mid-round selection, Herbig saw his draft stock slide after a 40-yard dash time of 5.41 seconds at the NFL Scouting Combine, the slowest among the 260 prospects in attendance. He went unselected in the 2019 NFL draft and signed with the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted free agent on April 28, 2019. Herbig made his NFL debut on December 15, 2019, against the Washington Redskins and appeared in two games during his rookie season.
Herbig made his first career start on September 13, 2020, in the Eagles’ season opener against the Washington Football Team, and went on to play 15 games with 12 starts that year. In 2021, he appeared in 16 games and started five, including a stretch in which he stepped in after injuries to both starting guards. After the Eagles placed a restricted free agent tender on him in March 2022, Herbig signed the tender and was waived by Philadelphia on May 4, 2022.
New York Jets Season (2022)
On May 5, 2022, Herbig was claimed off waivers by the New York Jets, giving him a fresh opportunity to compete for a starting role. During the 2022 season, he played in and started 11 games for the Jets, primarily at guard. On January 7, 2023, Herbig was placed on injured reserve, closing out his lone season in New York.
Pittsburgh Steelers Era (2023–2024)
Herbig signed a two-year contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers on March 16, 2023, returning to a familiar conference and giving the team experienced depth on the interior line. A notable off-field storyline came on April 28, 2023, when the Steelers selected his younger brother, Nick Herbig, in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL draft, allowing the siblings to share a roster.
Herbig’s time in Pittsburgh was cut short on August 18, 2024, when it was announced that he had suffered a torn rotator cuff and would miss the entire 2024 season. The injury ended his on-field contribution with the Steelers before he could play a snap that fall.
Washington Commanders and Retirement (2025)
On March 20, 2025, Herbig signed a one-year contract with the Washington Commanders, setting up a chance at one more NFL season. Instead, on July 29, 2025, he announced his retirement from professional football, bringing his six-year NFL career to a close.
Playing Style and Strengths
Herbig was valued across the league for his positional flexibility, capable of playing both left and right guard and even logging a start at right tackle during his time at Stanford. His combination of size, length, and technique allowed him to fit multiple offensive schemes, and his experience at Stanford prepared him for the pace and complexity of professional protections.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Herbig’s career milestones were earning freshman All-American honors at Stanford, becoming a first-team All-Pac-12 selection in 2017, and surviving six NFL seasons as an undrafted free agent. Sharing an NFL locker room with his younger brother Nick in Pittsburgh in 2023 stood out as a personal highlight of his professional tenure.
Nate Herbig Family
Family Background and Football Lineage
Herbig comes from a multi-generational football family rooted in the Pacific Northwest and Midwest. His father, Bruce Herbig, played both football and basketball at Lewis and Clark College, and his grandfather played football at Wheaton College in Illinois. That family tradition helped lay a foundation for Herbig’s own path into the sport.
Personal Life
Herbig’s younger brother, Nick Herbig, played linebacker at Wisconsin and was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL draft, the 128th overall pick. The brothers were teammates in Pittsburgh for the 2023 season before injuries altered Nate’s career arc.
2025 Season Outlook
Herbig had signed a one-year contract with the Washington Commanders on March 20, 2025, with the intent of extending his NFL career into a seventh season. Instead, the year ended with his announcement on July 29, 2025, that he was retiring from professional football.
His departure from the field closed the book on a career that began as an undrafted free agent in Philadelphia in 2019 and spanned the Eagles, Jets, Steelers, and Commanders. Across those stops, Herbig built a reputation as a steady, versatile interior lineman who maximized an opportunity that many prospects with similar draft profiles never receive.