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Which Steeler deserves some more respect?
Steelers outside linebacker Nick Herbig should be getting more love, wrote PFF’s Jonathon Macri May 14. In his article naming the most underrated player on each NFL team, Marcri wrote the following about Herbig:
Herbig isn’t going to get the same recognition as T.J. Watt or Alex Highsmith along the Steelers’ defensive line, and part of that has to do with his much lower snap share, but it’s worth noting how well he has performed when he is given an opportunity.
Since 2022, Herbig owns a 91.4 PFF pass-rush grade, which ranks seventh among all edge defenders with at least 250 pass-rush snaps. With Watt and Highsmith occasionally missing time due to injury, having a high-end pass rusher like Herbig waiting in the wings is a very underrated and valuable option that not many teams have the luxury of.
Who’s the most underrated Steeler?
Herbig is a great pick by Macri and probably who I’d choose as well. The Steelers’ OLB3 put up 5.5 sacks last season despite playing just 50% of the team’s defensive snaps.
The second name that comes to mind is safety DeShon Elliott. Unlike Herbig, Elliott is a starter, but he looked Pro Bowl-worthy for much of 2024 despite being outside of the top 50 (!!) highest-paid safeties in the league.
An argument could be make for center Zach Frazier or even wide receiver Calvin Austin III, but I think they’re fairly rated around the league
You can also look at this question from another angle: Who’s the most underrated Steeler among Steelers fans? This one is a bit harder to gauge, but I’d probably go with tight end Pat Freiermuth.
He’s never quite had the breakout year fans have wanted, and he’s had a few poor plays in the clutch over his career, but Freiermuth still finished 12th among NFL tight ends in receiving yards last season despite playing on an offense that was anemic in the middle of the field. He was second on the Steelers in terms of receiving yards and first in receiving touchdowns.
Despite this, Freiermuth feels like a forgotten part of the conversation when talking about the Steelers offense in 2025.
Who do you think is the most underrated Steeler? Make sure to join the BTSC community and share your thoughts in the comments below.