'Dynamite Comes In Small Packages!' Herbig Fires Back

At 6-2 and 240 pounds, Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Nick Herbig was thought to be too small to play outside in the NFL. The former Wisconsin Badger was highly touted in college, but many believed he didn’t fit into the pro game because he was too small.

On a recent episode of the “Steel Here” podcast, the host “Jersey Jerry” ridiculed Herbig’s size, which prompted a response he might not have been ready for.

"That's crazy Jerry, that's crazy," Herbig said. "I thought we disclosed information that day that wasn't going to be disclosed elsewhere. But dynamite comes in small packages, come on."

Coming out of college, there was some question if he could be an edge rusher or would teams be prompted to move him inside instead. Herbig was talking to the Steelers during the pre-draft process about playing inside.

"I really thought I was going to play inside linebacker 'cause that was like my whole pre-draft process, it was like gearing up to play inside backer at the next level because of my size or whatever,” Herbig said. “I actually had my Pro Day workout, was with our inside backer coach Aaron Curry, and we're watching all like inside backer tape.

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“I got the call on draft day and it was Omar [Khan] and he was like, 'I'm going to give you to your position coach Denzel Martin.' I was like, 'Who's that?'"

Martin is the Steelers outside linebackers coach, and that’s where the Steelers kept Herbig. It paid off in the final game of his rookie season when he strip-sacked the Seattle Seahawks’ Gino Smith to secure a win and a playoff spot for the Steelers.

Pittsburgh is scheduled to kickoff the season on the road in Atlanta against the Falcons on Sunday, Sept. 8. Kickoff is set for 12:00 p.m. EDT.