Tag: Dont’a Hightower

Former Patriots look back on ridiculously stacked 2014 defense

Defensive lineups don’t get much scarier than this

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It’s easy to forget how ridiculously stacked the New England Patriots were defensively in their 2014 Super Bowl-winning season.

A Twitter post looking back on the unit got a retweet from multiple former Patriots players that were on the roster at that time, including Dont’a Hightower, Jamie Collins, Patrick Chung and James White.

Other standouts included Pro Football Hall of Famer Darrelle Revis, Vince Wilfork, Chandler Jones, Jerod Mayo, Devin McCourty, Logan Ryan, Brandon Browner and Rob Ninkovich.

It’s one of the most imposing defensive lineups on paper in franchise history. Some of the greatest players that have ever suited up in a Patriots uniform were on the roster.

It’s an incredible stroll down memory lane that former Patriots players decided to chime in on.

The Patriots went on to defeat the Seattle Seahawks at Super Bowl XLIX that season.

After Tom Brady and the offense engineered another one of their improbable comebacks, Malcolm Butler, who was an undrafted rookie cornerback at the time, secured a goal line interception on Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson to help the defense seal the victory.

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This was Dont’a Hightower’s reaction to idea of becoming future coach

Dont’a Hightower reacted to Jerod Mayo’s coaching suggestion.

New England Patriots assistant coach Jerod Mayo vouched for former teammate Dont’a Hightower to become a coach on a hypothetical staff one day. Hightower used a simple set of emoji’s to convey his reaction to the quote.

Hightower had a celebrated career as a linebacker, after being drafted by the Patriots out of Alabama in 2010. The 33-year-old officially called it a career in March, after not playing football since 2021. He finished his career with 569 combined tackles and 27 sacks in a career that lasted nine seasons.

After hearing Mayo’s comments, Hightower did not exactly shy away from the idea on Twitter, as the former linebacker seemed intrigued by the idea.

A Mayo-Hightower combination on the sidelines could be a nightmare for offenses. It remains to be seen if this happens, but it certainly is exciting to think about.

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Jerod Mayo would love Dont’a Hightower as a coach

Should Dont’a Hightower be the next former Patriots player to turn to coaching? Jerod Mayo thinks so.

New England Patriots inside linebackers coach Jerod Mayo had high praise for a recently retired former teammate. Mayo believes former Patriots linebacker Dont’a Hightower would make a quality coaching candidate.

This would certainly be fun to see, given that Hightower was a successful linebacker for the Patriots organization. The former Alabama star recorded 569 combined tackles in a career that lasted nine seasons. His highest number of tackles was 97 in 2013.

The linebacker made the Pro Bowl twice and was a part of three Super Bowl-winning teams. To say he was a crucial part of the defensive unit would be a bit of an understatement. He was also dependable, making 114 starts in 117 games played.

Mayo seems to like the idea of Hightower taking all of that success and experience and putting it towards coaching.

“I think Hightower would be a phenomenal coach,” Mayo said, when speaking with reporters. “So, we’ll see. When I get a chance to run my own ship, I’ll try to recruit him.”

It would be fun to see Hightower on the sidelines in a different capacity. There is no doubt he has the football knowledge to succeed. Only good things can happen from seeing that knowledge and work ethic shared with the next generation of players.

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Bill Belichick releases statement on Dont’a Hightower retirement

Patriots coach Bill Belichick opened up on recently retired linebacker Dont’a Hightower.

Within a span of two weeks, New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick has addressed the retirements of two of his best defensive players in franchise history.

Longtime safety Devin McCourty retired ahead of free agency, while Dont’a Hightower announced he was stepping away from football for good in an article for The Players’ Tribune on Tuesday.

For years, Hightower served as one of the key leaders for Belichick’s defense. So it must have been bittersweet for him to say goodbye to another former first-round draft pick.

“Dont’a’s blend of intelligence, positional versatility and physicality made him one of the rarest of players that I have ever coached,” Belichick’s statement read, via Patriots.com. “Very few players were capable of as much as Dont’a, who could win from multiple positions with power, athleticism and his mind.

“His skills were most evident in two of the all-time great plays in franchise history, which led directly to two Super Bowl championships, but date back to the start of his decorated college and NFL careers. As a rookie, it was clear that Dont’a was already a mature, highly-competitive player who could make an immediate impact, which he did in his first game and consistently over the course of a decade.”

Like McCourty, Hightower will end his career having only played for the team that drafted him. Together, the two defensive legends won three Super Bowls in the second-half of a Patriots run of dominance that lasted nearly 20 years.

There are countless number of plays to pull from as standout moments for Hightower, but he’s most remembered for his Super Bowl performances, including stopping running back Marshawn Lynch at the one-yard line at Super Bowl XLIX or the strip sack fumble on Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan at Super Bowl LI.

Few players rise to the challenge in the biggest moments as consistently as Hightower, and few ever will.

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Tom Brady comments on former teammate Dont’a Hightower’s retirement

Tom Brady joined a growing list of players commenting on Dont’a Hightower’s recent retirement news.

Former New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady joined the growing list of players commenting on the retirement of legendary linebacker Dont’a Hightower.

Brady was there from the very beginning to watch Hightower grow from a first-round draft pick out of the University of Alabama to a three-time Super Bowl champion, two-time Pro Bowler and one of the best locker room leaders in franchise history.

“Clutch. A great teammate, captain and champion. Congratulations on an amazing career,” Brady posted to his Instagram story, per NESN.com.

Hightower, Brady and longtime Patriots safety Devin McCourty have all retired over the last two months.

Brady was with the team throughout the entire ride to six Super Bowl victories, while Hightower and McCourty were both apart of the second-half of the near 20-year run by the greatest dynasty in NFL history.

The funny thing about history is that it sneaks up on us. You blink today and find a decade has passed and the present is suddenly the distant past.

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Twitter reacts to Dont’a Hightower retirement news

Dont’a Hightower retired on Tuesday, and Twitter was not short of praise for the Patriots legend.

New England Patriots linebacker Dont’a Hightower announced his retirement on Tuesday. Hightower had a successful career from the very beginning, leaving Alabama as a two-time BCS champion.

He then assumed the role as one of the most consistent linebackers in the history of the Patriots. He compiled three Super Bowl victories along the way and finished with 569 career tackles.

Hightower’s retirement marks yet another Patriot legend gone from the game, as we have seen retirements from some of New England’s best over the past couple years. Most recently, safety Devin McCourty announced his retirement earlier in the month.

With that in mind, we take a look at the best Twitter reactions from Hightower’s retirement announcement.

Dont’a Hightower announces retirement from the NFL

Former Crimson Tide LB, Dont’a Hightower, announces retirement from the NFL

Former Alabama Crimson Tide great, Dont’a Hightower, has officially announced his retirement from the NFL. Hightower spent the entirety of his career with the New England Patriots and was a three-time Super Bowl champion.

Along with the Super Bowl victories, Hightower is also a two-time Pro Bowler, a second-team All-Pro and a member of the New England Patriots All-Dynasty team. He also started as a true freshman for Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide and was a two-time BCS national champion. It is difficult to find a player more accomplished than Hightower.

Hightower sat out the entirety of the 2022 season which lead to some speculation that he would likely retire, which was ultimately the final decision.

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Patriots’ legendary linebacker officially announces retirement from NFL

One of the Patriots’ all-time greats is officially retiring from football.

New England Patriots’ legendary linebacker Dont’a Hightower is officially hanging up the cleats and calling it a career after sitting on the sidelines for the 2022 season.

The former All-Pro defensive standout delivered a thank you letter to the Patriots when announcing his retirement in an article for The Players’ Tribune.

Hightower wrote:

Today, I am officially retiring from the NFL. I know these announcements always feel bittersweet, but I can’t think of a better story than the one I wrote in New England. A decade, three Super Bowls, two Pro Bowls, and the birth of my son — all playing for one franchise. How many guys have a story like that?

So this is a happy day for me, and I just wanted to let you all know how much I appreciate you embracing a Southern kid from Lewisburg, Tennessee.

Few players have had an impact on the Patriots organization like Hightower, who was one of the greatest leaders in franchise history both on and off the field. His talent spoke for itself, but his ability to help rally a group of men against unthinkable odds is of rare substance.

He won three Super Bowls with the Patriots, including Super Bowl LI, where he caused the strip sack fumble on Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan to help the team overcome a 28-3 deficit.

In the same year, both Hightower and Devin McCourty have retired from the NFL, signaling an end of an era for the Patriots. Yet, there are multiple banners hanging in the hallowed rafters of Gillette Stadium to ensure that no ever forgets the past.

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Empty Dont’a Hightower locker mystery might have finally been solved

Why is linebacker Dont’a Hightower’s locker still up in the Patriots’ locker room?

Everyone loves a good mystery, and there have been none better than current NFL free agent Dont’a Hightower’s locker being kept intact in the New England Patriots’ locker room.

The 32-year-old linebacker, who helped lead the defensive charge in the second-half of a dynasty that has spanned nearly two decades, holds a special place in the heart of Patriot Nation. So there was a glimmer of hope that he’d return at some point for the 2022 season.

Why else would his locker still be there?

Well, we might finally have an answer after spending an entire summer of wondering. According to ESPN’s Mike Reiss, there are no assurances that Hightower would be returning to the Patriots. Quite the contrary, it’s pretty “unlikely” at this point.

The thought behind leaving up his locker appears to be more out of respect for a franchise legend than anything else.

Reiss wrote:

“It’s not necessarily that they are planning on the free agent’s return, which seems unlikely, as much as it is a show of respect amongst players. File that in the category of neat nuggets that reporters pick up now that they have access to the locker room again for the first time since COVID-19.”

It’s important to keep in mind that Hightower has yet to make a formal retirement. The thinking was that he’s taking time away to heal up from injuries before making any football-related decisions.

It’s time well-deserved for a three-time Super Bowl champion that has dedicated his life to the sport.

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List of remaining unsigned Patriots free agents

There are still some key veteran players on this list.

The New England Patriots are shifting focus to the second week of preseason football, and there are notable free agents for the team that are still unsigned.

That obviously doesn’t mean that’ll remain the case, but with roster cuts right around the corner, it does bring into question what the future holds for some of the players.

Could a return to New England be in the cards at some point? Or, will another opportunity pop up elsewhere to help fill a vacant roster spot?

So many things can happen over the course of training camp and preseason football that could create roster openings where there initially weren’t any. That means there’s still hope for every player on this list.

Here are the Patriots’ free agents that still remain unsigned.