While there are still two Herbigs inside the Pittsburgh Steelers’ building, only one will see the field in 2024. Nick Herbig will look to breakout in his second NFL season after a dominant summer showing. Older brother Nate Herbig was battling Zach Frazier for the starting center gig, but he suffered a season-ending rotator cuff tear in the final hour of the last training camp practice. That ended his year before it ever got started.
Appearing on the Steel Here podcast in an episode that aired Thursday, Nick Herbig provided an update on Nate.
“He’s good, he’s good,” Herbig told hosts Kevin Adams and Jersey Jerry. “Just had surgery. Gonna get his shoulder right. Get his mind right. And I’ll be there for him. But yeah, I think he’s alright.”
Shortly after signing in 2023, it was Nate who pounded the table for the team to draft Nick.
“I came in the building screaming it. Like, ‘Come on, let’s get him here.’ Nick Herbig: stud. Absolute stud. I should be his agent…If there’s one guy I can’t block, it’s Nick Herbig,” Nate said after being brought in by Pittsburgh.
A month later, Nick got the phone call. A viral moment, emotional as he told his family he was headed to Pittsburgh with Nate and Nick’s best friend Keeanu Benton, drafted two rounds earlier.
After spending last year as a backup guard, Nate Herbig had controlled the early battle for starting center. He enjoyed a solid training camp and though there were snap issues in the preseason opener, he still saw most of the first-team reps in the following practices. At the least, Herbig was going to make Frazier earn the job. The silver lining is that Frazier looks Day 1 ready and figured to take the job sooner than later even if Herbig stayed healthy.
Now, Herbig’s future is cloudy. A free agent after this season, he may have to take a one-year, prove-it contract. Perhaps that is with the Steelers, who aren’t expected to retain James Daniels, but Herbig wouldn’t be guaranteed a starting job. Assuming Frazier plays well to lock in his center role, Herbig could battle Mason McCormick and Spencer Anderson for the starting right guard spot.
Until then, he’ll spend the fall and winter rooting on Nick. An emerging pass rusher who could still make a defensive impact even as the team’s No. 3 outside linebacker. A budding stud of a linebacker and, based on his comments, an equally awesome brother.
