The Pittsburgh Steelers will aim to win in Week 1 for the fifth time in the past six seasons Sunday when they meet the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium. But the Steelers will have to do that without edge rusher Nick Herbig.
A limited participant in practice throughout the week, Herbig was included on the Steelers inactive list for Week 1 versus the Jets.
Entering Sunday, the Steelers had Herbig listed as questionable on their injury report because of a hamstring issue.
Herbig posted 22 combined tackles, including five tackles for loss in 13 games last season. He also had 11 quarterback hits, 5.5 sacks and four forced fumbles.
This fall, the 23-year-old is entering his third season with the Steelers. The team drafted him at No. 132 overall in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
Without Herbig, Steelers will likely count on more from starting edge rushers T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith. Herbig averaged almost 32 defensive snaps per game last season. He also played about 13 snaps on special teams per contest.
Ahead of kickoff Sunday, the Steelers announced Derrick Harmon, Andrus Peat, Max Scharping, Esezi Otomewo and Skylar Thompson, in addition to Herbig, as their inactive players for Week 1.
Thompson will be the team’s emergency third quarterback.
Here’s what else you need to know for the Steelers matchup against the Jets in Week 1.
Aaron Rodgers, Justin Fields Revenge Narrative
Herbig and the Steelers defensive front will face a depleted Jets offensive line. NFL insiders reported Wednesday former New York first-rounder and starting guard Alijah Vera-Tucker suffered a serious injury.
Vera-Tucker is out for the season and officially hit injured reserve Saturday.
But the much bigger storylines entering the Steelers-Jets matchup are behind center. Quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers and Justin Fields will be facing the teams they played for during the 2024 campaign.
Rodgers posted a 6-12 record in two years with the Jets. Fields went 4-2 as a starter in Pittsburgh last season.
On Wednesday, Rodgers tried to minimized the personal importance of the Week 1 matchup.
“I’ll just be excited for Week 1,” Rodgers told reporters, via TribLive.com’s Joe Rutter.
Steelers Debuting New-Look Offense vs. Jets
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Christopher Carter probably put it best on X hours before Week 1 kickoff.
Rodgers and D.K. Metcalf are making their Steelers debut. The team also made several other changes on offense. Those included parting with starters Najee Harris, George Pickens and Dan Moore.
Jaylen Warren and rookie Kaleb Johnson will likely split opportunities in the backfield. Two former first-round picks, Broderick Jones and Troy Fautanu, will book end a Steelers offensive line that will be very young this season but has a lot of upside.
All-Pro Defensive Lineman Cameron Heyward Set to Play
On the regular season eve Saturday, the four-time All-Pro’s contract situation finally came to a resolution.
Multiple NFL insiders reported the Steelers agreed to add $3 million in incentives to Cameron Heyward’s contract for the 2025 season. The defensive lineman will receive the pay raise if the team experiences playoff success.
Before the added incentives, Heyward was casting doubt over his Week 1 status. Although head coach Mike Tomlin told reporters Tuesday that Heyward would play, Heyward is now fully expected to dress against the Jets.
Expectations for Nick Herbig, Steelers Defense
The Steelers didn’t make as many changes to their defense as offense, but they made a major move on June 30, acquiring All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey from the Miami Dolphins. In the trade, the Steelers sent All-Pro safety Minkah Fitzpatrick to the Dolphins.
Pittsburgh’s defense is no longer the most expensive in the league, but the Steelers are ranked third in cap space dedicated on that side of the ball. The team also added first-round defensive lineman Derrick Harmon in the draft.
Harmon won’t play in Week 1 because of a knee injury. But expectations remain high for the Steelers defense.
If the team is going to end its playoff-winless streak, then the defense will probably have to be one of the best units in the league while Rodgers and the offense provide efficient, mistake-free football.
The Steelers own a 21-7 all-time record versus the Jets. But New York has won three of the last five matchups in the series.
Last season, the Steelers knocked off Rodgers and the Jets 37-15.
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