Without question, Nick Herbig has been the most integral player of the Pittsburgh Steelers 2023 rookie class. His role has been a critical one: Rotate in for both T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith, keeping them fresh to wreak havoc. In the process, he’d learned a great deal picking their brains when they come to the sideline.

Herbig has displayed what he’s learned from his fellow outside linebackers, including a phenomenal play in what NFL films deemed the “turning point” in Pittsburgh’s critical Week 17 win over the Seattle Seahawks.

On Seattle’s second drive midway through the fourth quarter, Geno Smith dropped back and was greeted by a strip-sacking Herbig.

Sack. Fumble. Recovery.

The Steelers sideline erupted, including a proud head coach Mike Tomlin, who bestowed upon him the highest compliment.

“That’s young Herbig. I’m gonna hafta start calling him Mr. Herbig. Way to go, Mr. Herbig,” said Tomlin.

You’ll often hear Tomlin refer to special players as Mister So-and-so in his press conferences. This time, he was giving it to one of his own.

“Lil’ Herbig, lil’ Herbig. He’s growing up,” he told Nick’s older brother Nate, a reserve offensive lineman, during a sideline embrace.

It’s rare for a rookie, especially in the Steelers system, to see the field as much as he has. But you have to preserve players like Watt and Highsmith the best you can, and Herbig’s speedy adjustment from college to the pros allowed them to do just that.

He’s played in all 17 games, recording three sacks, two forced fumbles, 27 tackles (five for loss) and three quarterback hits.

Herbig is now presented with the most important test of his first year: Help fill the void of Watt, the NFL’s sack leader and Defensive Player of the Year candidate.

It’ll take an Army, but Herbig was born for the task.

Story originally appeared on Steelers Wire