For the primary time in his younger profession, Nick Herbig received’t simply be following T.J. Watt. He’ll be beginning reverse of him. Studying from one of many NFL’s greatest for the final 18 months, Herbig will get the possibility to begin at linebacker with Alex Highsmith sidelined by a groin harm. On the newest version of his weekly present by way of the crew’s YouTube channel, Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin described the connection between Herbig and Watt, a few Badgers turned Steelers.
“His perception in self is at a excessive stage,” Tomlin advised host Bob Pompeani of Herbig’s confidence and success. “I imply, we’re within the NFL and these guys clearly imagine in themselves. However even in a neighborhood like this, his perception in self is unshakeable. And his dedication to working and bettering might be equally as spectacular.
“He’s a humble, hardworking child. No matter T.J. has for breakfast, he desires it for lunch. But when I used to be a younger man at that place, I’d do related issues.”
Herbig has been glued to Watt’s hip since being drafted in 2023. In camp, the pair labored on move rush strikes earlier than each follow and infrequently labored after follow, joined by James Harrison on one event. Within the offseason, the 2 hung out collectively again in Wisconsin to coach and enhance.
For Watt, it’s about sustaining. For Herbig, it’s about making a bounce. A second-year participant who flashed as a rookie, Herbig was electrical filling in for Highsmith final week. He completed the sport with three hurries, two sacks, and a compelled fumble in a 20-10 win over the Los Angeles Chargers the place Pittsburgh’s protection completed with 5 second half sacks.
Spending time with Watt has shortly accelerated Herbig’s potential.
“He’s strolling beside a blueprint of the way you wish to conduct your self in that place each day. He’s sensible sufficient and humble sufficient to acknowledge it and extract data from him.”
Watt’s confirmed as a lot, even joking about being aggravated in any respect the Herbig questions he acquired throughout final week’s post-game presser.
“He’s caught to my hip. I can’t get away from him,” Watt mentioned with a smile about Herbig in early September. “He’s been a sponge to every thing.”
Regardless of getting into this recreation with solely 244 profession defensive snaps, Herbig has 5 NFL sacks. His effectivity has been exceptional although Sunday’s recreation in opposition to the Colts will check his stamina. In his 20 profession video games, solely as soon as has he logged greater than 20 snaps, filling in for an injured Watt in final season’s ugly loss to the New England Patriots. Herbig completed that recreation with 45 snaps however did not document a QB hit or sack.
Herbig will enter the sport on the lookout for sack quantity six. Or possibly even seven. And Watt will enter trying to accumulate some historical past, his subsequent sack making him the second-fastest to 100 for a profession.
