Nick Herbig’s UFC Lessons Helped T.J. Watt on Two Punch Outs vs. Raiders

Chris Ward |

Updated: Oct 13, 2024

Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt had another standout performance in Sunday’s 32-13 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. Watt had two forced fumbles in the game, and both were punch outs. Watt has perfected the move over the years, but second-year outside linebacker Nick Herbig wants credit for teaching the All-Pro linebacker the art of the punch out.

“Bro no way he just did it again!!! The UFC lessons I’ve been giving you are paying off,” Herbig wrote in a Instagram Story post with a laughing emoji.

Herbig was inactive with a hamstring injury, so he was back in Pittsburgh watching the game.

Nick Herbig on IG. 😂 #Steelers #NFL pic.twitter.com/uhYZ6IMMuC

— Blitzburgh (@Blitz_Burgh) October 13, 2024

Watt’s first punch out occurred late in the second quarter on rookie running back Dylan Laube. Six plays after the turnover, quarterback Justin Fields scrambled for a 3-yard touchdown to give the Steelers a 12-7 lead at halftime.

https://twitter.com/Blitz_Burgh/status/1845573418445385791

Holding onto a 22-7 lead early in the fourth quarter, Watt recorded his second punch out on running back Ameer Abdullah at the goal line. Safety DeShon Elliott came up with the loose ball at the 1-yard line.

Watt set up a touchdown for the Steelers and saved a score with his two punch outs. He was an absolute game-wrecker.

The Steelers now have four takeaways in the red zone this year, two more than the next closest teams, per ESPN Stats & Info.

It’s the fifth time Watt has forced two fumbles in a game since entering the league in 2017. No other player has more than three games with two forced fumbles in that span, according to Daniel Valente of The Score.

After the game, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin praised Watt for his banner day.

“I don’t know what other way to state it, other than I’m not surprised by it, but it doesn’t make it any less amazing,” Tomlin said. “If you’ve been around him during the course of his career here, you just know that he is going to seize those moments. He’s going to rise up and be what we need him to be in some form or fashion. And I just think today was a reflection of it. It’s just an another chapter in his awesome story that is his career.”