Pittsburgh Steelers rookie EDGE Nick Herbig has been turning heads so far in training camp. Drafted in the fourth round, some didn’t know what to expect from the Wisconsin product, but he has been looking really sharp and could develop into a really good player. While a lot of credit has gone to teammate and fellow EDGE T.J. Watt, Herbig today spoke on how helpful Outside Linebackers Coach Denzel Martin has been.
“Denzel’s a very personable coach,” said Herbig in an interview that was posted to Steelers.com. “He knows how to relate to me on a deeper level than just football. He checks in on me, makes sure I’m doing good mentally, physically, and he’s always there for support, especially plays and stuff. He’ll come out before the play and be like, ‘Hey, it’s this play, you got this. Remember this, that.’ He’s always like making sure I’m detailed in all my work, even the little things. I think that’s huge ’cause a lot of coaches sometimes fail to see the little details. I think he’s really keen on that to make sure I got all the details down.”
Martin has been part of the Steelers organization since 2016, starting as a Scouting Assistant and working his way up to his current position. While this is his first year as Outside Linebackers coach, he was an assistant coach at the position since 2020, helping Watt tie the NFL single-season sack record in 2021 and helping Alex Highsmith emerge as one of the better EDGE players in the NFL in 2022.
Now, Martin is tasked with developing Herbig. In his final collegiate season, Herbig recorded 11 sacks, which helped him catch the eye of the Steelers. Backing up Watt and Highsmith — and playing behind veteran Markus Golden, the No. 3 outside linebacker — likely will means Herbig won’t see a ton of opportunities this season but that is okay. Highsmith himself didn’t light the world on fire in 202o backing up Watt and Bud Dupree.
But Highsmith blossomed, and his whole NFL career he worked with Martin. Because of the talent in front of him, Herbig doesn’t need to be a superstar right away, he just needs to develop. With the attention to the little details that Martin provides, that shouldn’t be an issue.
Martin’s attention to things outside of football is nice as well. While obviously coaching the players, the players are humans and grown men too. Outside of football they can be dealing with personal things that are more important than the game. Herbig, for example, is in a whole new city. While he has his brother, Nate, with him to help his transition, the NFL is a different game and the pressure placed on an NFL draft pick can be stressful.
To win a championship, you need to be team, and the culture the Steelers have built emphasizes being a team. Whether it is the coaches or the players, it seems everyone has each other’s backs and that is a successful formula.
