Steelers Could Lose Another Defender for Season Opener

PITTSBURGH -- The first injury updates of the upcoming season for the Pittsburgh Steelers have arrived, with both major notes coming on the defensive side of the ball.

With a tough test against the New York Jets quickly approaching, the Steelers will be without one of their defensive starters whilst one remains questionable at this time.

Defensive lineman Derrick Harmon will be entirely unavailable for the season opener, but linebacker Nick Herbig has been given a questionable designation by Mike Tomlin heading into the opening weekend of the season.

Dec 1, 2024; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Nick Herbig (51) reacts after the victory over the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

At this point in time, it seems that Herbig's participation in their season opener will mostly rely on how many reps he is able to get in during the practices leading up to their first contest.

Herbig is still in the midst of recovering from a hamstring injury which he suffered during the Steelers second preseason game. In the game against the Buccaneers, Herbig registered three snaps before walking off the field gingerly.

While it was originally viewed as possibly a major injury, the Steelers received much better news on behalf of Herbig when head coach Mike Tomlin spoke to the media following the game and announced that Herbig's injury would not be long term.

Now, with the Steelers set to take on the New York Jets on Sunday, Herbig's status is still up in the air.

Herbig is entering his third season with the Steelers following a Day 3 selection in the 2023 NFL Draft. Herbig played his collegiate career at the University of Wisconsin, where he joined the team during the 2020 COVID-shortened season.

Dec 15, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Nick Herbig (51) against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

In his time at Wisconsin, Herbig was a starter for all three seasons, earning him third team All-American honors by the Associated Press for the 2022 season as well as first team All-Big Ten honors in the same season.

In his two professional seasons, Herbig has forced six fumbles and accumulated 49 tackles as an important piece of the Steelers deep linebacker room. He is expected to have a significant role in their success for the coming season, but that goal may be put on hold to start the year.

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