Herber was born in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and attended Green Bay West High School, where he was a star quarterback and punter. After high school, Herber attended Regis College in Denver, Colorado. He played football for Regis for one season before transferring to the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Arnie played two seasons of college football at Wisconsin. He was the starting quarterback for both seasons and led the Badgers to a 10-2 record in 1930. Herber was named the All-Big Ten Conference quarterback in 1930.

After college, Herber was signed by hometown Green Bay Packers. He was the Packers' starting quarterback for 11 seasons, from 1930 to 1940. Herber led the Packers to four NFL championships in 1930, 1931, 1936, and 1939. He was named the NFL MVP in 1933.

Herber was a pioneer of the passing game in the NFL. He was one of the first quarterbacks to use the forward pass effectively, and he was a master of the long pass. Herber was also a very accurate passer, and he was known for his ability to hit receivers in stride. Herber was a prolific passer for his era. He led the NFL in passing yards in 1932, 1933, and 1936. He was also a good runner, and he led the NFL in rushing touchdowns in 1934.