Steelers' Nick Herbig Had Cocky And Bold Reaction To Contract Extension That Ticked Off Aaron Rodgers

The Pittsburgh Steelers are extremely lucky to have one of the very best edge rushing groups in the entire NFL. TJ Watt and Alex Highsmith have been wreaking havoc on opposing offenses for several years while Nick Herbig and Jack Sawyer sit behind them as very capable contributors. The organization's belief in the group was very apparent when Herbig was given a four-year contract extension worth up to $100 million despite his status as a backup. It will not be easy to get all of them the playing time that they deserve, but sure is nice to know that depth is not at all a concern in this specific area.

The Steelers should be relatively set at the position for a good while, and Herbig is one of the main reasons for that. He can still be viewed as an up-and-coming defender based on his age and lack of starting experience. With that said, front offices don't pay guys potentially nine figures to sit on the bench. He will be getting his opportunities sooner rather than later.

It's always an exciting time when someone in the locker room gets paid. Whether fellow teammates joke about the newly-compensated guy paying for a dinner, or simply hugs are given all around, hard work being rewarded is something to celebrate. Herbig, however, may have taken it a little too far during an Organized Team Activities (OTAs) session back in June, which is something that caught the eye of the four-time MVP.

Aaron Rodgers joined Cam Heyward on the Not Just Football podcast and the two talked about a whole host of topics. The defensive lineman brought up Herbig and actually asked the quarterback if the edge rusher and him were finally on the same page. In a relatively funny response, the future Hall of Famer admitted to getting confrontational with the youngster over the summer.

"I think we're in a better spot," Rodgers said regarding his relationship with Herbig. "I did push him in the face."

Heyward had to jump in after Rodgers mentioned this and wanted to tell the story of exactly what had happened. After the signal-caller noted that Herbig was being extra the same day as his extension, practice went in the wrong direction.

"Herb was all excited about getting his contract done and wanted to show off and so, he's going after the quarterback like full tilt in OTAs and everyone was like, 'What are you doing?' But then, what, [Rodgers] got into a pushing match with him," Heyward said.

The story didn't stop there. Rodgers went into detail about why he was annoyed with Herbig in the moment. OTAs are sessions that can be used to work on things, not go all out and disrupt the offense trying to get better.

"He wouldn't move out of the way," Rodgers explained. "I'm like, 'Let me just finish the play, okay.' Like, yeah it's a sack, good. TJ [Watt] always yells, 'Sack, sack!' Like, alright, just let me finish the play, move around, let's get a scramble drill. He just like got in my way and put his helmet in my face. I just like two-hand pushed him in the face."

All in all, it seems like the situation wasn't all that serious, but it was a good moment for Herbig to learn. 

Sure, he was pumped about getting paid, but Rodgers made it known that improving on the field was more important than anyone showing off after a lucrative extension was signed.

Steelers Are Lucky To Have Someone With Herbig's Motor

Despite the fact that it was June and maybe not the time or place for Herbig to aggressively get after the quarterback, his effort has to be admired. He is probably the quickest edge rusher that the Steelers have, and he was not afraid to show his teammates exactly why he was signed to a fresh deal. It still is an amusing story to look back on, particularly because the 42-year-old in Rodgers wasn't afraid to put the fourth-year player in his place during practice.

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