Dont’a Hightower is asking it a profession. After sitting out of the 2022 season, the New England Patriots linebacker formally introduced his retirement from the NFL on Tuesday after taking part in 9 seasons within the league.
“Today, I’m formally retiring from the NFL,” Hightower wrote in a put up revealed in The Players’ Tribune. “I do know these bulletins all the time really feel bittersweet, however I am unable to consider a greater story than the one I wrote in New England. A decade, three Super Bowls, two Pro Bowls, and the start of my son — all taking part in for one franchise. How many guys have a narrative like that? So this can be a comfortable day for me, and I simply needed to allow you to all understand how a lot I recognize you embracing a Southern child from Lewisburg, Tennessee.”
Hightower was a first-round draft decide of the Patriots in 2012 out of Alabama and instantly grew to become one of many pillars of the second leg of New England’s dynasty underneath Bill Belichick and Tom Brady. He was not solely a three-time Super Bowl champion however performed a essential function in every of these championship victories.
Arguably one of many extra underrated performs in membership historical past is Hightower’s goal-line sort out of Seahawks working again Marshawn Lynch throughout Super Bowl XLIX. Hightower made that cease and prevented Lynch from scoring, and Malcolm Butler made his notorious interception on the following play.
“When I noticed Seattle line up in that I-form, I knew Beast Mode was getting it, and I knew they’d been gashing us with that strong-side lead all recreation,” Hightower recalled in his retirement put up. “I knew he was going to stroll via an enormous gap if I did not take a threat. It’s humorous how issues come full circle, as a result of after I was at Alabama, Kirby Smart used to all the time inform us, ‘Never ever go behind a block until you are positive you are going to make a play.’ Well, I wasn’t positive. But I figured we had nothing to lose. So I ripped up underneath Okung and shot my shot. All I noticed was Marshawn’s two legs churning, and I simply prayed to God that I might clip him up or one thing. I reached out … and also you already know what occurred subsequent.”
Hightower additionally had a key strip-sack of Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan throughout New England’s epic 25-point comeback throughout Super Bowl LI. He additionally had a team-high two sacks towards Jared Goff within the Patriots’ win over the Rams in Super Bowl LIII, making him one of the vital clutch gamers within the franchise’s historical past.
The two-time Pro Bowler totaled 569 tackles over the course of his common season profession, 67 quarterback hits, 27 sacks, and two compelled fumbles. In the postseason, he added 81 extra tackles and three sacks. Hightower can be a member of the Patriots All-2010s Team and Patriots All-Dynasty Team
