Pittsburgh Steelers Lose Starting Center Nate Herbig to Injury

The Pittsburgh Steelers have been dealt a significant blow as starting center Nate Herbig suffers a major shoulder injury. According to sources, Herbig's injury will keep him out of action for an extended period of time, forcing the team to turn to rookie Zach Frazier as the new starting center for the upcoming regular season.

Herbig, who had been the starting center since the beginning of training camp, signed a two-year contract with the Steelers earlier this year. He played in all 17 regular season games last season, primarily on special teams, but made starts at guard in Week 4 and Week 5. However, his stint as the team's starting center has now been cut short due to the unfortunate injury.

As the Steelers turn to the young and promising Frazier, the responsibility will be on his shoulders to showcase his talent and skill in his debut NFL season. Frazier was selected by the Steelers with the 51st overall pick in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft and has a chance to make an immediate impact.

Prior to his time with the Steelers, Herbig spent three seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles from 2019 to 2021. He gradually increased his playing time, starting 12 games in 2020 and finishing his tenure with the Eagles with 16 appearances in 2022. Herbig then joined the New York Jets in 2022, starting in all 11 games he played for the team.

Herbig's journey to the NFL started at Stanford University, where he played college football from 2016 to 2018. During his time at Stanford, he earned First Team All-Pac 12 honors in 2017 and Second Team All-Pac 12 honors in 2018. His standout performances caught the attention of NFL teams, but he went undrafted in 2019.

Despite facing this setback, Herbig's absence will undoubtedly be felt by the Steelers. The team will now rely on the young and untested Frazier to step up and fill the void left by the injured starter. It remains to be seen how Frazier will handle the pressure of starting in his rookie season, but the Steelers are hopeful that he will rise to the occasion and contribute to the team's success.

The Pittsburgh Steelers will have to navigate the challenging road ahead without their starting center Nate Herbig, as he recovers from his significant shoulder injury. The upcoming regular season will present an opportunity for rookie Zach Frazier to prove his worth and establish himself as a valuable asset to the team.