Pittsburgh Steelers rookie outside linebacker Nick Herbig impressed with 1.5 sacks in his team debut, and after the game he said he feels like he is right where he belongs.
“I feel like I was born to be a Steeler. I’m supposed to be here. I’m supposed to be wearing the Black and Gold. I feel the Black and Gold running through my veins right now,” Herbig said via Steelers.com.
If that quote doesn’t want to make you run through a wall, I don’t know what will. Herbig has been one of the standouts at training camp, and he put it all together on the field tonight. He did a great job using his burst and a few pass-rush moves to get to the quarterback. He also finished with three tackles on top of his 1.5 sacks. It was exactly what the Steelers wanted to see out of him when they took him in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
Herbig’s motor and passion for the game fit the type of player Pittsburgh is looking for. While there were doubts about his size and fit for the outside linebacker position after the draft, he’s proven them wrong so far with his play. Both Mike Tomlin and Andy Weidl have talked about getting unique athletes to help better play situational football, and the addition of a guy like Herbig could fit that bill.
Herbig has a lot of traits in him that can really make him a fan favorite. His boundless energy and will to win are noticeable on the field, and the fact that he has a longstanding relationship with T.J. Watt surely helps with both those attributes. He’s someone who can contribute in all facets of the game, and even mentioned his work on special teams before talking at all about his performance on defense tonight. He’s a true gamer, dating back to his time at Wisconsin and likely before. He’s going to make an impact in some capacity with Pittsburgh this season and in the future.
He’s a key addition to help bolster the depth behind Alex Highsmith and Watt at outside linebacker, and if tonight was any indication of what we could see going forward a very good addition. He’s out to prove he was born to Steeler, and tonight was a hell of a start. He looks like he belongs.
