Nick Herbig led the NFL in pass-rush win rate. The Steelers paid him $100 million to stay.
The 24-year-old edge rusher had the league's best pass-rush win rate in 2025. Pittsburgh extended him for four years and $100 million, betting on the player behind T.J. Watt.
Nick Herbig had the highest pass-rush win rate in the NFL in 2025, at 26.3 percent. The Steelers rewarded the 24-year-old edge rusher with a four-year, $100 million extension, $42 million guaranteed, a year before his rookie deal expired. 'It was my desire to be a Steeler for life,' he said.
What are the terms?
Four years, $100 million, with $42 million guaranteed and an average of $25 million per year. Herbig was a 2023 second-round pick entering the final year of his rookie contract, so Pittsburgh moved early to lock him up rather than let him play out the deal. At $25 million per year he's now a well-paid starter, though still below the very top of the edge market.
Did the production justify it?
On efficiency, emphatically. Herbig posted career highs across the board in 2025: 7.5 sacks, 18 quarterback hits, one interception, three forced fumbles, and a fumble return for a touchdown. The headline number is his 26.3 percent pass-rush win rate, the best in the NFL. The raw sack total is modest, but the win rate says he was beating his man more consistently than any edge rusher in football, which is the kind of underlying metric teams pay for.
How does he fit alongside T.J. Watt?
As a versatile complement on an expensive front. Pittsburgh now pays Herbig $25 million per year alongside T.J. Watt (around $41 million) and Alex Highsmith (around $17 million), a major investment in the pass rush. Herbig leaned into his flexibility: 'I'm a team guy. If you need me to play off the ball, on the ball, need me to run down on punt, I'm a Steeler.' That positional versatility is part of what made him worth the commitment.
Players in this story
Sources
- ESPN: Sources - Steelers' Nick Herbig lands 4-year, $100M extension
Pittsburgh Steelers betting odds
Super Bowl futures, win totals & where to bet
21+ and present in a state where legal. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. We may earn a commission.
