Nick Herbig Has Advice for Steelers' Joey Porter Jr., Keeanu Benton

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers are in the midst of this offseason's struggles with extensions, as the newest crop of veteran Steelers get a chance to keep their talents in the city or move elsewhere in the pursuit of more money.

Some players in the spotlight in this cycle include defensive back Joey Porter Jr. and defensive tackle Keeanu Benton, as both linebacker Nick Herbig and tight end Darnell Washington have inked their extensions already.

Herbig took time to speak with one of his fellow teammates in Cam Heyward recently, appearing on the Not Just Football podcast. During his appearance, he spoke about his own extension and the experience of going through the motions during the process.

"There's gonna be days where you're mad, you're irritated, and there's days where you're just like, 'Whatever, it is what it is," Herbig said. "You're just trying your hardest not to think about it and not let it distract you and just stay locked in and keep working and work while you wait basically. But to me, it was almost impossible to not think about it. That's a monumental time in your life, not just for you but for everybody around you."

Herbig's Additional Advice

Herbig also offered advice to the players who have gone unsigned, speaking about ways that the player can stay focused in an important moment of their careers. Herbig advised the players to stay off social media, putting emphasis on avoiding team-related items as opposed to the obvious possible negative fan interactions.

"Just being away from the team," Herbig said. "I just couldn't see anything because then I would just be like, 'Man, I want to be there.'

Herbig's advice is more unique than most. It would be expected to see him mention the fans, but the aspect of avoiding the interaction with the rest of the team is certainly interesting. The advice is good, and surprisingly normal for the sort of situation that involves earning millions of dollars a year.

Nov 30, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. (24) reacts against the Buffalo Bills during the second half at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images | Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

Both Porter and Benton are set to be massive parts of the upcoming season's defensive core, especially Porter. Porter's 2025 season was a drastic improvement from the 2024 campaign, and he now has the opportunity to enter the upper echelon of defensive backs across the league. If the Steelers wish to be competitive and try to land their first playoff win in a decade, they'll need Benton and Porter to be active participants in the hunt to do so.

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