Nick Herbig Bio
Nicholas Herbig is an American professional football linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). Born on November 21, 2001, in Kauai, Hawaii, Herbig plays as an outside linebacker after being selected by the Steelers in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL draft. Standing 6 feet 2 inches tall and listed around 240 pounds, he combines a Hawaiian background with the physical profile of a modern NFL edge rusher. He has quickly become a rotational pass rusher and core special teams contributor for Pittsburgh.
Early Life and Background
Nicholas Herbig was born and raised on the island of Kauai in Hawaii, where he grew up surrounded by the state’s deep tradition of football. He attended Saint Louis School in Honolulu on the island of Oahu, a program with a long history of producing Division I talent. The school is one of Hawaii’s most prominent football pipelines, and Herbig developed into one of its most decorated defensive players before finishing his prep career.
Coming from a family with football ties, Herbig was introduced to the sport at a young age and quickly gravitated toward the defensive side of the ball. His older brother, Nate Herbig, went on to play as an offensive guard in the NFL, giving Nicholas an early view of what a professional football career could look like. That family connection helped shape his understanding of the work required to compete at the highest level.
After high school, Herbig committed to the University of Wisconsin, a Big Ten program with a strong reputation for developing NFL-caliber linebackers. His decision to leave Hawaii for Madison reflected both his athletic ambitions and his readiness to test himself against top-tier competition on the mainland.
Path to American Football
Herbig’s path to the NFL began on the defensive edge at Saint Louis School, where his combination of speed, motor, and finishing ability drew college attention. His commitment to Wisconsin signaled an early belief from recruiting analysts that he could grow into a Power Five pass rusher. The move from Hawaiian high school football to Big Ten competition represented a significant jump in physical and schematic demands.
At Wisconsin, Herbig was plugged into the defensive rotation immediately. He started all seven games as a true freshman in 2020, recording 26 tackles and one sack in a season shortened by the COVID-19 pandemic. The early start gave him a foundation in fundamentals and the Badgers’ pro-style outside linebacker techniques that would later translate to the NFL.
By his second season in 2021, Herbig had become a full-time starter and a consistent disruptor off the edge. He posted 61 tackles and nine sacks, establishing himself as one of the most productive young edge defenders in the Big Ten. His development at Wisconsin positioned him as a draft-eligible prospect heading into his junior year and ultimately led to his selection by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2023 NFL draft.
Nick Herbig Career
Early Career (2023)
Nicholas Herbig was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL draft and quickly signed his rookie contract with the team. Shortly after the draft, on March 16, 2023, the Steelers coincidentally signed his older brother, Nate Herbig, as an offensive guard, briefly reuniting the brothers in the same NFL organization. Herbig entered his rookie season competing for snaps on the edge and on special teams.
He made his first NFL start in Week 1 against the San Francisco 49ers, finishing the game with one assisted tackle. As the season progressed, Herbig produced several signature moments, including his first career forced fumble against the Jacksonville Jaguars and a second forced fumble during a New Year’s Eve victory over the Seattle Seahawks. On October 22, 2023, he recorded his first professional sack, bringing down Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford.
NFL Breakthrough with the Pittsburgh Steelers (2023–2024)
Herbig’s rookie campaign established him as a productive situational pass rusher. He appeared in 17 games, finishing the regular season with three sacks, 27 total tackles (19 solo), two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery. The Steelers finished the year with a 10–7 record, earning a playoff berth that marked Herbig’s first postseason appearance. In the AFC Wild Card round against the Buffalo Bills, he played 20 defensive snaps and 19 special teams snaps, recording one tackle before Pittsburgh’s 31–17 loss ended the season.
In 2024, Herbig built on his rookie foundation and remained a fixture in the Steelers’ linebacker rotation. He opened the season with one tackle in a Week 1 win over the Atlanta Falcons and continued to expand his role as an edge defender and special teams player. On November 17, 2024, he delivered one of the most talked-about plays of the season, forcing a fumble on Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry, the first fumble Henry had committed in 538 touches.
Herbig closed his second NFL season with 22 total tackles (13 solo and nine assisted), five tackles for loss, 11 quarterback hits, and four forced fumbles across 415 defensive snaps and 174 special teams snaps. He returned to the postseason for a second consecutive year, playing 17 defensive snaps and 19 special teams snaps in the AFC Wild Card loss to the Baltimore Ravens, 28–14.
Pittsburgh Steelers Era (2023–Present)
Herbig has spent his entire NFL career with the Pittsburgh Steelers, the team that drafted him in 2023. He has progressed from a fourth-round rookie competing for rotational snaps to a trusted edge defender and core special teams player within the Steelers’ defensive scheme. His tenure in Pittsburgh has been marked by consistent improvement in his pass-rushing production and his reliability on coverage and return units.
Through his first two seasons, Herbig has accumulated three sacks, 49 total tackles, and six forced fumbles in the regular season, along with appearances in two AFC Wild Card playoff games. The Steelers have leaned on his versatility, using him as an off-ball linebacker in addition to his primary role rushing the passer from the edge.
Driving Style and Strengths
Herbig is recognized for his first-step quickness and motor as an edge rusher, traits that have allowed him to produce sacks and forced fumbles against established veterans. His relentless pursuit of the football showed clearly in his forced fumble on Derrick Henry, a play that highlighted his discipline and finishing instincts. He also brings value on special teams, where his pursuit angles and tackling have earned him consistent snaps across coverage units.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Herbig’s most memorable moments is his forced fumble on Derrick Henry in November 2024, which ended the longest active fumble-free streak in the NFL at the time. He also notched his first career sack against Matthew Stafford in 2023 and appeared in back-to-back AFC Wild Card games to open his NFL career, milestones that underline his rapid integration into Pittsburgh’s defense.
Nick Herbig Career Wins
Across his first two NFL seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Nicholas Herbig has collected wins as a rotational edge defender and special teams contributor, including regular-season victories over the Atlanta Falcons and Seattle Seahawks. While his primary statistical impact has come through sacks, tackles, and forced fumbles, his role in team success has grown steadily since his rookie year.
NFL Highlights
Herbig has recorded three regular-season sacks, six forced fumbles, and 49 total tackles across his first two seasons. His first career sack came against the Los Angeles Rams in 2023, and his most recent signature play was the forced fumble on Derrick Henry in November 2024. He has also appeared in two AFC Wild Card playoff games, marking consecutive postseason berths to open his career.
Other Performances
At the college level, Herbig was a first-team All-Big Ten selection and a third-team Associated Press All-American in 2022 after recording 11 sacks and 15.5 tackles for loss. His production that season tied for sixth in the Football Bowl Subdivision in sacks and cemented his status as one of the top pass rushers in the country.
Nick Herbig Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Nicholas Herbig comes from a football family rooted in Hawaii. His older brother, Nate Herbig, is a former NFL offensive guard who signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers in March 2023, the same offseason Nicholas was drafted by the team. The brothers briefly shared an NFL roster before Nate’s career continued elsewhere, giving the Herbig family a notable presence across the league.
Personal Life
Herbig maintains close ties to his Hawaiian roots and is active on social media, where he engages with fans under his verified accounts. He remains focused on his professional development as a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers organization.
2025 Season Performance
Heading into the 2025 NFL season, Nicholas Herbig is expected to take on an expanded role in the Pittsburgh Steelers’ defense after two productive campaigns as a rotational edge rusher. His continued growth in sacks, quarterback hits, and forced fumbles has positioned him as a candidate for more starting snaps opposite the Steelers’ primary outside linebackers. Special teams will likely remain part of his weekly responsibilities, a role he has handled consistently since his rookie year.
The Steelers’ defensive scheme under their coaching staff is built around pressure from the edges, and Herbig’s first-step quickness fits that identity. If he can build on his 2024 production of 22 tackles and four forced fumbles, he has a clear opportunity to establish himself as a full-time starter and a more consistent factor on passing downs.
For 2025, the key storyline surrounding Herbig will be whether his disruptive play translates into bigger statistical outputs and continued postseason opportunities. With back-to-back playoff appearances already on his resume, another strong season could cement his status as a long-term building block for the Pittsburgh Steelers’ defense.