Dont'a Hightower
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Qualin Dont'a Hightower (born March 12, 1990) is an American
football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...
coach and former
linebacker Linebacker (LB) is a playing position in gridiron football. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and typically line up three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage and so back up the defensive linemen. They play closer to the line ...
who most recently served as the inside linebackers coach for the
New England Patriots The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. The Patriots compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The Pa ...
of the
National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a Professional gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National ...
(NFL). He previously played in the NFL for nine seasons with the Patriots. Hightower played
college football College football is gridiron football that is played by teams of amateur Student athlete, student-athletes at universities and colleges. It was through collegiate competition that gridiron football American football in the United States, firs ...
for the
Alabama Crimson Tide The Alabama Crimson Tide refers to the college athletics in the United States, intercollegiate athletic varsity teams that represent the University of Alabama, located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Tuscaloosa. The Crimson Tide teams compete in the Na ...
, receiving consensus
All-American The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed on outstanding athletes in the United States who are considered to be among the best athletes in their respective sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an Al ...
honors and winning two BCS National Championships. Selected in the first round of the
2012 NFL draft The 2012 NFL draft was the 77th annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible American football players for their rosters. The draft, which is officially called the "NFL Player Selection Meeting", was held ...
by the Patriots, he was named to two
Pro Bowl The National Football League All-Star Game (1939–1942), Pro Bowl (1951–2022), or Pro Bowl Games (since 2023) is an annual event held by the National Football League (NFL) featuring the league's All-star, star players. The format has changed ...
s and won three
Super Bowl The Super Bowl is the annual History of the NFL championship, league championship game of the National Football League (NFL) of the United States. It has served as the final game of every NFL season since 1966 NFL season, 1966 (with the excep ...
titles.


Early life

Hightower was born in
Lewisburg, Tennessee Lewisburg is a city in and the county seat of Marshall County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 12,288 in 2020. Lewisburg is located in Middle Tennessee, fifty miles south of Nashville and fifty-two miles north of Huntsville, Alabam ...
. He attended Marshall County High School in Lewisburg, where he played for the Marshall County Tigers
high school football High school football, also known as prep football, is gridiron football played by High school (North America), high school teams in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular high school sports, interscholastic sports in both c ...
team. He first drew recognition his sophomore year when the team's starting running back quit the team. In the last four games of the season, he rushed for over 1,000 yards and seven touchdowns. After growing to prior to his junior year, Hightower was moved to linebacker and
tight end The tight end (TE) is an offense (sports), offensive position in American football, arena football, and Canadian football. It is a hybrid that combines the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a receiver (football), receiv ...
. He collected 98 tackles, two sacks, and seven forced fumbles as a linebacker and caught 18 passes for 253 yards and four touchdowns at tight end. Having grown to six feet, three inches tall as a senior, Hightower again switched positions to
defensive end Defensive end (DE) is a defensive position in the sport of gridiron football. This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formation (American football), formations over the years have substantially ...
. After recording 168 tackles (14 for loss), five forced fumbles, five interceptions and four fumble recoveries, he was named 3A Mr. Football Lineman of the Year and
The Tennessean ''The Tennessean'' (known until 1972 as ''The Nashville Tennessean'') is a daily newspaper in Nashville, Tennessee. Its circulation area covers 39 counties in Middle Tennessee and eight counties in southern Kentucky. It is owned by Gannett, w ...
s Defensive Most Valuable Player in 2007. He also added 875 yards and 19 touchdowns on offense. Hightower was selected to play in the U.S. Army East West All-Star Game in
San Antonio, Texas San Antonio ( ; Spanish for "Anthony of Padua, Saint Anthony") is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in Greater San Antonio. San Antonio is the List of Texas metropolitan areas, third-largest metropolitan area in Texa ...
. Considered a four-star recruit by Rivals.com, Hightower was listed as the No. 15 inside linebacker in the nation in 2008. He chose Alabama over Auburn,
Georgia Tech The Georgia Institute of Technology (commonly referred to as Georgia Tech, GT, and simply Tech or the Institute) is a public research university and institute of technology in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Established in 1885, it has the lar ...
,
Tennessee Tennessee (, ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Kentucky to the north, Virginia to the northeast, North Carolina t ...
, and Vanderbilt.


College career

Hightower attended the
University of Alabama The University of Alabama (informally known as Alabama, UA, the Capstone, or Bama) is a Public university, public research university in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States. Established in 1820 and opened to students in 1831, the University of ...
, where he played for the Crimson Tide football team from 2008 to 2011.


2008 season

As one of only two true freshmen to be regular starter for the Crimson Tide in
2008 2008 was designated as: *International Year of Languages *International Year of Planet Earth *International Year of the Potato *International Year of Sanitation The Great Recession, a worldwide recession which began in 2007, continued throu ...
, Hightower started 12 games while playing in all 14 at weakside inside linebacker ("Will") in Alabama's
3–4 defense In American football, the 3–4 defense is a common defensive alignment consisting of three down Defensive lineman, linemen and four linebackers. It is called a "base defense" because it will readily switch to other defensive alignments (such as ...
, next to Rolando McClain who occupied the other inside linebacker spot ("Mike"). Hightower recorded 64 tackles (4th on the team) and 2.5 tackles for loss, while also having one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries. He had at least one tackle in each game and had five or more stops in seven of 14 games, including 10 against Tulane and a career-high 11 at
LSU Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, commonly referred to as Louisiana State University (LSU), is an American Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Baton Rouge, Louis ...
. He was subsequently named to numerous Freshman All-American teams.


2009 season

For the 2009 season, during the
Arkansas Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the West South Central region of the Southern United States. It borders Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, Texas to the southwest, and Oklahoma ...
game, Hightower suffered a knee injury in the first quarter when he was cut blocked by an Arkansas lineman. He was diagnosed a torn
anterior cruciate ligament The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of a pair of cruciate ligaments (the other being the posterior cruciate ligament) in the human knee. The two ligaments are called "cruciform" ligaments, as they are arranged in a crossed formation. In ...
in his left knee and missed the rest of the season with surgery. True freshman Nico Johnson replaced him at weak side linebacker. Hightower recorded 16 tackles including four tackles for loss. Having played only four games, he was granted a medical
redshirt Redshirt, Red Shirt, or Redshirts may refer to: Sports * Redshirt (college sports) Redshirt, in United States college athletics, is a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen their period of eligibility. Typically ...
making him a redshirt sophomore in 2010.


2010 season

Returning for the 2010 season, Hightower was expected to "be the nucleus of a young defense". He replaced McClain as Alabama's middle linebacker.


2011 season

In
2011 The year marked the start of a Arab Spring, series of protests and revolutions throughout the Arab world advocating for democracy, reform, and economic recovery, later leading to the depositions of world leaders in Tunisia, Egypt, and Yemen ...
, he captained a defense that ranked No. 1 nationally in all five major categories—scoring defense (8.8 ppg), total defense (191.3 ypg), rushing defense (74.9 ypg), pass efficiency defense (83.9 ypg) and pass defense (116.3 ypg). Hightower led the team with a career-best 81 tackles, including 37 solo stops, as well as three sacks (−16 yards) and 9.5 tackles for loss (−35 yards). He also registered eight quarterback hurries, one interception, one blocked field goal and three pass breakups. Hightower was a consensus first-team All-American by the
Associated Press The Associated Press (AP) is an American not-for-profit organization, not-for-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association, and produces news reports that are dist ...
, AFCA and
Walter Camp Walter Chauncey Camp (April 7, 1859 – March 14, 1925) was an American college football player and coach, and sports writer known as the "Father of American Football". Among a long list of inventions, he created the sport's line of scrimmage a ...
as well as Rivals.com and
Pro Football Weekly ''Pro Football Weekly'' (sometimes shortened to ''PFW'') is an American sports magazine, founded in 1967, and website that covers the National Football League (NFL). It was owned by Pro Football Weekly LLC and headquartered in Riverwoods, Illin ...
. He was also a finalist for the
Lombardi Award The Rotary Lombardi Award is an award for college football in the United States. Awarded by the Rotary Club of Houston, Texas annually to the college football player "who best embodies the values and spirit of NFL's legendary coach Vince Lombard ...
,
Chuck Bednarik Award The Chuck Bednarik Award is presented annually to the defensive player of the year in college football as judged by the Maxwell Football Club to be the best in the United States. The award is named for Chuck Bednarik, a former college and profess ...
, the
Butkus Award The Butkus Award, instituted in 1985 by the Downtown Athletic Club of Orlando, is given annually to the top linebackers at the high school, collegiate and professional levels of football. The award, named in honor of College Football Hall of Fame ...
, and the Lott Trophy.


College statistics


Professional career


Pre-draft

As early as April 2011, Hightower was projected a potential first-round draft pick in the
2012 NFL draft The 2012 NFL draft was the 77th annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible American football players for their rosters. The draft, which is officially called the "NFL Player Selection Meeting", was held ...
. Shortly after the 2012 BCS National Championship Game, he announced his decision to forgo his final year of eligibility. Right after the season ended, he was projected a late first-round selection. After solid performances at the
NFL Combine The NFL Scouting Combine is a week-long showcase occurring every February at Lucas Oil Stadium (and formerly at the RCA Dome until 2008) in Indianapolis, where college football players perform physical and mental tests in front of National Foot ...
and Alabama Pro Day, he was still regarded as a late first-rounder.


2012

The
New England Patriots The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. The Patriots compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The Pa ...
selected Hightower in the first round (25th overall) of the
2012 NFL draft The 2012 NFL draft was the 77th annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible American football players for their rosters. The draft, which is officially called the "NFL Player Selection Meeting", was held ...
. He was the third linebacker selected in 2012, behind Boston College's Luke Kuechly (9th overall) and South Carolina's Melvin Ingram (18th overall). On July 19, 2012, the Patriots signed Hightower to a four-year, $7.72 million contract that includes $6.28 million guaranteed and a signing bonus of $4.05 million. Throughout training camp, he competed for the job as the starting strongside linebacker against Rob Ninkovich. Head coach Bill Belichick named him the opening day starter, alongside
Jerod Mayo Jerod Andrew Mayo Sr. (born February 23, 1986) is an American professional football coach and former linebacker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for eight seasons with the New England Patriots. He also served as the head coach ...
and middle linebacker Brandon Spikes. He made his first career start and professional regular season debut in the New England Patriots' season-opener at the
Tennessee Titans The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Titans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. They play the ...
and recorded five combined tackles and returned a fumble recovery for a six-yard touchdown during their 34–13 victory. His touchdown in the second quarter marked the first of his career. On September 30, 2012, he recorded two solo tackles and made his first career sack on quarterback
Ryan Fitzpatrick Ryan Joseph Fitzpatrick (born November 24, 1982) is an American former professional American football, football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 17 seasons. Fitzpatrick started at quarterback for nine teams, the ...
, before leaving in the first half of their 52–28 victory at the
Buffalo Bills The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo–Niagara Falls metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East div ...
due to a
hamstring A hamstring () is any one of the three posterior thigh muscles in human anatomy between the hip and the knee: from medial to lateral, the semimembranosus, semitendinosus and biceps femoris. Etymology The word " ham" is derived from the Old ...
injury. The injury sidelined him for the next two games (Weeks 5–6). In Week 7, Hightower collected a season-high seven solo tackles and sacked
Mark Sanchez Mark Travis John Sanchez (born November 11, 1986) is an American former professional American football, football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for 10 seasons. He played college football for the USC Trojans ...
as the Patriots defeated the
New York Jets The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The team p ...
29–26 in overtime. On December 16, 2012, Hightower made a season-high eight combined tackles and broke up a pass during their 41–34 loss to the
San Francisco 49ers The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners and nicknamed the Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member ...
. He finished the season with 60 combined tackles (43 solo), four sacks, three pass deflections, two fumble recoveries, and a touchdown in 14 games and 13 starts. The New England Patriots finished the 2012 season atop the
AFC East The American Football Conference – Eastern Division or AFC East is one of the four Division (sport), divisions of the American Football Conference (AFC) in the National Football League (NFL). There are currently four teams that reside in th ...
with a 12–4 record, clinching home field advantage and a first round bye. On January 13, 2013, Hightower started his first career playoff game and recorded three combined tackles in the Patriots' 41–28 victory against the
Houston Texans The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston. The Texans compete in the National Football League as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. The team plays its home games at N ...
in the Divisional Round. The following week, he made three combined tackles as the Patriots lost 28–13 to the eventual
Super Bowl The Super Bowl is the annual History of the NFL championship, league championship game of the National Football League (NFL) of the United States. It has served as the final game of every NFL season since 1966 NFL season, 1966 (with the excep ...
champions, the
Baltimore Ravens The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore. The Ravens compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team plays its home g ...
, in the
AFC Championship The AFC Championship Game is the annual championship game of the American Football Conference (AFC) and one of the two semifinal playoff games of the National Football League (NFL), the largest professional American football league in the wo ...
.


2013

Defensive coordinator Matt Patricia retained Hightower, Mayo, and Spikes as the starting linebackers to begin the 2013 regular season. On October 20, 2013, Hightower recorded 11 combined tackles (seven solo) during a 30–27 loss at the
New York Jets The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The team p ...
. The following week, he collected ten combined tackles (five solo) and sacked quarterback Ryan Tannehill in the Patriots' 27–17 win against the
Miami Dolphins The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. The Dolphins compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The team ...
. In Week 14, he tied his season-high of 11 combined tackles (seven solo) in a 27–26 win against the
Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. The Browns compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team is named after ...
. He finished the season with 97 combined tackles (55 solo), three pass deflections, and a sack in 16 games and 14 starts. The New England Patriots clinched another AFC East title with a 12–4 record and received a first round bye. On January 11, 2014, Hightower collected eight combined tackles, broke up a pass, and intercepted a pass by Andrew Luck during a 43–22 win against the
Indianapolis Colts The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. Since the 2008 India ...
in the Divisional Round. The following week, he made eight combined tackles as the Patriots lost 26–16 to the
Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC West, West division. The team is headquartered in E ...
in the
AFC Championship game The AFC Championship Game is the annual championship game of the American Football Conference (AFC) and one of the two semifinal NFL playoffs, playoff games of the National Football League (NFL), the largest professional American football lea ...
.


2014

During training camp, Hightower was moved to weakside linebacker, replacing Jerod Mayo who was named the starting middle linebacker after the departure of Brandon Spikes. Head coach Bill Belichick named Hightower and Jamie Collins Sr. the starting outside linebackers to start the regular season with Jerod Mayo starting at middle linebacker. On September 14, 2014, Hightower recorded eight combined tackles, broke up a pass, and had two sacks on Matt Cassel during the Patriots' 30–7 victory at the
Minnesota Vikings The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. The Vikings compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. Founded in 1960 as ...
. It marked his first career multi-sack game. Hightower missed two consecutive games (Weeks 5–6) due to a knee. In Week 7, he recorded a season-high 13 combined tackles (nine solo) and a sack in the Patriots' 27–25 win against the
New York Jets The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The team p ...
. In Week 13, Hightower recorded ten combined tackles (four solo) and a sack on
Aaron Rodgers Aaron Charles Rodgers (born December 2, 1983) is an American professional American football, football quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the California Golden Bears foo ...
during a 26–21 loss at the
Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. They ar ...
. He missed the following game (Week 14) due to a shoulder injury he sustained against the Packers. Hightower also missed the Patriots' Week 17 loss against the
Buffalo Bills The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo–Niagara Falls metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East div ...
after aggravating his shoulder injury. Hightower finished the season with 89 combined tackles (51 solo), six sacks, two pass deflections, and a forced fumble in 12 games and 12 starts. The New England Patriots finished atop the AFC East with a 12–4 record and clinched home field advantage and a first round bye. They defeated the
Baltimore Ravens The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore. The Ravens compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team plays its home g ...
in the AFC Divisional Round and the
Indianapolis Colts The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. Since the 2008 India ...
in the
AFC Championship The AFC Championship Game is the annual championship game of the American Football Conference (AFC) and one of the two semifinal playoff games of the National Football League (NFL), the largest professional American football league in the wo ...
and went on to
Super Bowl XLIX Super Bowl XLIX was an American football game played to determine the champion of the National Football League (NFL) for the 2014 NFL season, 2014 season. The American Football Conference (AFC) champion 2014 New England Patriots season, New Eng ...
. On February 1, 2015, Hightower started in Super Bowl XLIX and recorded five combined tackles during the Patriots' 28–24 victory against the
Seattle Seahawks The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle. The Seahawks compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC West, West division. The club entered the NFL a ...
. He made a key play near the end of the fourth quarter, tackling
Marshawn Lynch Marshawn Terrell Lynch (born April 22, 1986) is an American actor and former professional American football, football player who was a running back for 12 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). Nicknamed "Beast Mode", he spent the majori ...
at the one-yard line to prevent a touchdown that would have given the Seahawks the lead, and likely the title. The Patriots secured their victory on the next play after teammate Malcolm Butler intercepted a pass by
Russell Wilson Russell Carrington Wilson (born November 29, 1988) is an American professional American football, football quarterback for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL). He has primarily played for the Seattle Seahawks. With the Sea ...
. Because Butler caught the ball inside the one yard line, Hightower ensured he got out of the end zone to prevent a
safety Safety is the state of being protected from harm or other danger. Safety can also refer to the control of recognized hazards in order to achieve an acceptable level of risk. Meanings The word 'safety' entered the English language in the 1 ...
.


2015

On April 30, 2015, the New England Patriots exercised the fifth-year, $7.751 million option on Hightower's rookie contract. In Week 2, Hightower recorded a season-high 12 combined tackles (eight solo) and was credited with half a sack during a 40–32 win at the
Buffalo Bills The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo–Niagara Falls metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East div ...
. On November 29, 2015, Hightower collected three combined tackles, but left the Patriots' 30–24 loss at the
Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC West, West division. The team is headquartered in E ...
after suffering a sprained MCL in his left knee. He went on to miss the next two games (Weeks 13–14) due to the injury to his MCL. Hightower was inactive for the Patriots' Week 17 loss at the
Miami Dolphins The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. The Dolphins compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The team ...
due to a sprained MCL injury he aggravated the previous week. He finished the season with 61 combined tackles (51 solo), 3.5 sacks, two passes defended, and a fumble recovery in 12 games and 12 starts. The Patriots clinched another AFC East title with a 12–4 record and had a rematch with the Broncos in the
AFC Championship The AFC Championship Game is the annual championship game of the American Football Conference (AFC) and one of the two semifinal playoff games of the National Football League (NFL), the largest professional American football league in the wo ...
, but lost to the eventual
Super Bowl The Super Bowl is the annual History of the NFL championship, league championship game of the National Football League (NFL) of the United States. It has served as the final game of every NFL season since 1966 NFL season, 1966 (with the excep ...
champions by a score of 20–18.


2016

Hightower entered training camp as the starting middle linebacker after Jerod Mayo announced his retirement. Head coach Bill Belichick officially named Hightower the starting middle linebacker to start the regular season, alongside outside linebackers Jamie Collins and Jonathan Freeny. The New England Patriots announced Hightower was selected to be one of four team captains to represent the Patriots for the season. He started the New England Patriots' season-opener at the
Arizona Cardinals The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Cardinals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC West, West division. The ...
, but left in the second quarter of their 23–21 victory with an MCL injury. The following day, it was reported that Hightower had suffered a slight tear to his meniscus and was sidelined for the next two games (Weeks 2–3). On October 16, 2016, Hightower registered 13 combined tackles (ten solo), 1.5 sacks, and recorded his first career safety on a sack on Bengals' quarterback Andy Dalton during their 35–17 victory against the
Cincinnati Bengals The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional American football team based in Cincinnati. The Bengals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team plays its h ...
. He was voted as the AFC Defensive Player of the Week for his Week 6 performance against the Bengals. On December 20, 2016, it was announced that Hightower was named to the
2017 Pro Bowl The 2017 Pro Bowl (branded as the 2017 Pro Bowl presented by Aquafina for sponsorship reasons) was the National Football League's all-star game for the 2016 season, which was played at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida, on January 29, 20 ...
, marking the first of his career Hightower finished the season with 65 combined tackles (31 solo), 2.5 sacks, two passes defensed, and a safety in 13 games and 13 starts. Hightower received enough votes from his peers to finish 94th on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2017. The New England Patriots finished atop the AFC East and clinched a first round bye and a playoff berth with a 14–2 record. They went on to defeat the
Houston Texans The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston. The Texans compete in the National Football League as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. The team plays its home games at N ...
in the Divisional Round and the
Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. Founded in 1933 P ...
in the
AFC Championship The AFC Championship Game is the annual championship game of the American Football Conference (AFC) and one of the two semifinal playoff games of the National Football League (NFL), the largest professional American football league in the wo ...
. On February 5, 2017, Hightower appeared in Super Bowl LI and helped the Patriots overcome a 25-point deficit and defeat the
Atlanta Falcons The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta. The Falcons compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. The Falcons were founded o ...
34–28 in overtime. Hightower recorded two solo tackles, one sack, and forced a fumble deep in Atlanta territory which was recovered by the Patriots to help make it a one-possession game.


2017

On March 15, 2017, the New England Patriots signed Hightower to a four-year, $35.5 million contract that includes $17 million guaranteed and a $10 million signing bonus. It was later reported that Hightower met with the
Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. Founded in 1933 P ...
and
New York Jets The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The team p ...
, but failed a physical with the Jets due to a slight tear in his pectoral muscle. Head coach Bill Belichick named him the starting middle linebacker, along with outside linebackers David Harris and Kyle Van Noy. Hightower was the only returning starter after the Patriots traded Jamie Collins and Jonathan Freeny departed in free agency. He started the New England Patriots' season-opener against the
Kansas City Chiefs The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) West division. Established in 1959 ...
, but left their 42–27 loss in the second quarter after sustaining a knee injury. The knee injury unfortunately sidelined Hightower for the next two games (Weeks 2–3). On October 15, 2017, Hightower recorded a season-high seven combined tackles and a sack as the Patriots defeated the
New York Jets The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The team p ...
24–17. In Week 7, he made one solo tackle in the Patriots' 23–7 win against the
Atlanta Falcons The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta. The Falcons compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. The Falcons were founded o ...
before leaving in the third quarter with a shoulder injury. The following day, it was announced that it was discovered to be a torn pectoral muscle and would likely sideline Hightower for the remainder of the season. On November 7, 2017, the New England Patriots placed Hightower on injured reserve for the remainder of the season. Hightower finished the season with 14 combined tackles (12 solo) and two sacks in five games and five starts. The Patriots replaced Hightower with Elandon Roberts and managed to finish the season atop the AFC East with a 13–3 record. They went on to defeat the
Tennessee Titans The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Titans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. They play the ...
in the AFC Divisional Round and the
Jacksonville Jaguars The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. The team ...
in the
AFC Championship game The AFC Championship Game is the annual championship game of the American Football Conference (AFC) and one of the two semifinal NFL playoffs, playoff games of the National Football League (NFL), the largest professional American football lea ...
before losing 41–33 to the
Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The team plays its ...
in
Super Bowl LII Super Bowl LII was an American football game played to determine the champion of the National Football League (NFL) for the 2017 season. As a rematch of Super Bowl XXXIX from 13 years earlier, the game was between the National Football Conferen ...
.


2018

Hightower returned as a starter in 2018, alongside Kyle Van Noy and rookie Ja'Whaun Bentley. In Week 7, He blocked a punt that was recovered by Van Noy and returned for a touchdown, earning him AFC Special Teams Player of the Week. He finished the 2018 season with one sack, 48 total tackles, one interception, one pass defensed, and one fumble recovery in 15 starts. The Patriots finished the season 11–5, again clinching the AFC East. During Super Bowl LIII against the
Los Angeles Rams The Los Angeles Rams are a professional American football team based in the Greater Los Angeles, Greater Los Angeles area. The Rams compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC West, West ...
, Hightower finished with two sacks and a pass deflection as the Patriots won 13–3.


2019

In Week 5 against the
Washington Redskins The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East ...
, Hightower recorded a team-high eight tackles and sacked Colt McCoy 1.5 times in the 33–7 win. In Week 8 against the
Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. The Browns compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team is named after ...
, Hightower recovered a fumble lost by running back Nick Chubb and returned it for a touchdown in the 27–13 win. This was his first touchdown since Week 1 of the 2012 season. In the 2019 season, Hightower appeared in and started 15 games. He recorded 5.5 sacks, 71 total tackles, four passes defensed, and one fumble recovery for a touchdown.


2020

On August 2, 2020, Hightower announced his intention to opt out of the 2020 season, due to concerns over the ongoing
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
.


2021

In 2021, Hightower returned to the Patriots and played in 15 of the 17 regular season games and their Wild Card Round game against Buffalo. He finished with 64 total tackles, 1.5 sacks, and one pass defensed on the year. His contract expired on March 16, 2022.


Retirement

After not playing the entire 2022 season, Hightower announced his retirement on March 21, 2023.


NFL career statistics


Regular season


Coaching career

On February 9, 2024, Hightower announced he had accepted a position as the inside linebackers coach on the staff of new Patriots head coach and Hightower’s former teammate,
Jerod Mayo Jerod Andrew Mayo Sr. (born February 23, 1986) is an American professional football coach and former linebacker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for eight seasons with the New England Patriots. He also served as the head coach ...
. Hightower was not retained by the Patriots after Mayo's firing.


References


External links


Alabama Crimson Tide bio
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hightower, Dont'a 1990 births Living people Alabama Crimson Tide football players All-American college football players American Conference Pro Bowl players American football linebackers New England Patriots players People from Lewisburg, Tennessee Players of American football from Tennessee Coaches of American football from Tennessee New England Patriots coaches