Wisconsin East, otherwise known as the Pittsburgh Steelers, had their band of Badgers wreaking havoc all game in their win over the New England Patriots on Sunday. The Steelers have four former Badgers on their defense, and a pair of them came up huge in the fourth quarter of the game.
Linebackers Nick Herbig and TJ Watt came together on the play to get the ball back for Pittsburgh late in a tie ballgame. Herbig came up with the strip sack on quarterback Drake Maye, while Watt scooped up the ball for the Steelers. The literal double trouble for the Steelers' defensive front are both former Badgers and it's huge for the Steelers.
Two Former Badgers link up for game-wrecking play against New England
Related: Jonathan Taylor breaks 4 tackles on a 46-yard TD run in a must see moment
Nick Herbig forces the fumble.
— Evan Flood (@Evan_Flood) September 21, 2025
T.J. Watt recovers.#Badgers x 2 pic.twitter.com/i9OLfKmrbb
Badger defenders are no stranger to making big plays at the highest level, and TJ Watt has been doing it for a long time. The Steelers, whose roster also includes former Badgers Keeanu Benton and Isaiah Loudermilk, have made it a habit to bring in players from Madison through the years.
While Wisconsin hasn't seen the same success at Camp Randall in recent years, it's good to see some former Badgers making plays in the NFL. Watt notched two sacks this week, upping his career total to 110, just 4.5 behind his older brother J.J.