Former Pittsburgh Steelers and current Washington Commanders offensive lineman Nate Herbig was placed on the Reserve/Retired list Tuesday morning by Washington, a move announced by the team.
Herbig’s retirement comes just four months after signing with the Commanders in free agency on March 20.
“It was a personal decision. He was a great teammate here,” Commanders head coach Dan Quinn said of Herbig, according to video via the Commanders’ YouTube page. “We wish Nate absolutely the best.”
Herbig spent the 2023 and 2024 seasons with the Steelers after signing a two-year deal with them in free agency. He joined the Steelers just a month before Pittsburgh picked his younger brother, outside linebacker Nick Herbig, in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
Herbig came over from the Philadelphia Eagles in free agency, where he had a relationship with current Steelers assistant GM Andy Weidl, making the move across the state seamless.
A versatile piece along the interior of the offensive line, Herbig played 156 snaps for the Steelers in 2023 as a reserve, seeing 31 snaps at left guard and 125 snaps at right guard. His best performance came in Week 13 of the 2023 season against the Arizona Cardinals. Stepping in for the injured Isaac Seumalo, he graded out at a 91.8 overall from Pro Football Focus at left guard in the Steelers’ loss.
Entering the 2024 season, Herbig was in line to open the season as the starting center, ahead of second-round pick Zach Frazier. But Herbig suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in training camp, landing on Injured Reserve for the season. With Frazier locked in as the starting center and the Steelers seeing the development of guard Mason McCormick take off last season, Pittsburgh let Herbig walk in free agency this offseason.
He signed with Washington where he was expected to be a key reserve. Instead, he’s walking away from the game at just 27 years old.
