Even Nick Herbig once wondered if he didn’t have the size to rush the quarterback. It wasn’t until a conversation with a veteran of similar proportions opened his mind and eliminated what he’s not “supposed” to do. A story he shared during a Wednesday evening interview with former Steelers DL and teammate Breiden Fehoko.
“Chandler Jones was a freak off the edge,” Herbig told Fehoko on his The Fehoko Show Twitter/X broadcast. “If you watch his cutup, he has some of the craziest moves ever. I would always be like, ‘Man, I want to try that.’ But I got short arms. My rookie year, Markus Golden was with us. He played with Chandler. He knows Chandler. They’re good friends. We were watching some film ’cause I’m always watching like Edge Rushers. I love watching pass rush.
“We’re watching it. I’m like, man, I wanna try that. I’m talking to MG about it. He was like, why can’t you try it? I was like, I don’t got long arms. He’s like, man, fuck that. You’re Nick Herbig, bro. Fuck what they’re saying about you. Shout out, MG. He’s the one who encouraged me to just continue to try things.”
Herbig said Golden told him to disregard the “stigma” and belief that only elite pass rushers have “34-inch arms.”
Herbig added his “Herb special” move to his arsenal, which has become a signature rush. A swipe/stab off the edge, combining his quickness and bend, and utilizing what scouts knocked him for most, his lack of size, to his advantage. A quick get-off and small surface area make it hard for tackles to hit back.
With 31 1/8 inch arms, Golden came out of the draft with similar length worries. Herbig measured in at 31 1/4 during his pre-draft process. Both defied expectations and conventional wisdom. Golden came in a stockier frame with a little more power, but both have been effective. Golden ended his career with 51 sacks, including four during his 2023 season with the Steelers. He also briefly spent time with the team in 2024 before retiring.
Herbig has racked up 16 sacks over three seasons despite largely playing in a rotational role. Per our 2025 charting, he averaged a pressure every 8.2 rushes, a better number than T.J. Watt or Alex Highsmith.
Herbig’s learned plenty from current teammates and former coaches, too.
“You’re just thinking about a sack,” he said. “I just need to get ’em down. The ball, that’s where the money’s at. That’s really a testament to the culture that Mike Tomlin built in Pittsburgh. He’s made that a big emphasis since the day I got there. Obviously, guys like T.J. and Alex putting that on tape. Just learning from them and how they approach that.”
Sacks are important, but forced fumbles can change games. Herbig has excelled at both. Since being drafted in 2023, his nine forced fumbles are one of the NFL’s leading numbers. It follows what Watt and Highsmith have accomplished. Watt has 36 forced fumbles, one shy of tying Greg Lloyd’s official franchise record, while Highsmith has 10. Watt and Highsmith always mimicking stripping the ball, even in practice, served as a constant reminder to finish the rep and go for the ball.
Herbig’s even made such an impact against the run. His forced fumble against Baltimore Ravens RB Derrick Henry to begin a 2024 contest was a tone setter in a Steelers victory. His pass rush made him a $100 million man, but his run defense makes him a viable all-situations starter, which is why Pittsburgh chose to make such a heavy investment in him.
Despite struggling in other areas, Pittsburgh finished last season with 27 takeaways. That was top-five in the league, and a mark the team will aim to carry over into 2026 under Mike McCarthy and Patrick Graham.
Herbig has plenty of people to thank. His close relationship with God. His family, especially big brother Nate, who stumped for Pittsburgh to draft his brother. Coaches like Tomlin, old heads like Golden, and high-end players like Watt and Highsmith. Herbig’s proven arm length isn’t defining. Something the future of the NFL, like Tampa Bay Buccaneers first-round pick Reuben Bain, a tree stump with sub-31-inch arms, can look towards as they begin their professional journey.