After nine seasons holding down the inside linebacker spot for the New England Patriots, three-time Super Bowl champion Dont’a Hightower officially called it a career on Tuesday.
A former first-round pick and two-time Pro Bowler, Hightower served as a defensive leader, team captain and impact player for the Pats in some of the team’s biggest moments.
Shortly after his retirement, owner Robert Kraft penned a heartfelt statement on Hightower’s time in New England. Saying, the team is honored to call him a Patriot.
“We are honored to call @zeus30hightower a Patriot and will always celebrate him as a champion.”
For the entire quote from Robert Kraft, please click: https://t.co/DdarRRioIS
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) March 22, 2023
Dont’a Hightower is a champion. He won at every level he ever played and always excelled in championship games. He helped the Patriots win three Super Bowls after winning two national championships at Alabama to become just the second player to win multiple championships at each level. He was a versatile linebacker whose game-altering plays in each of our Super Bowls earned him the moniker ‘Mr. February.’ Some of his greatest performances came on our biggest stage, including a crucial goal-line tackle against Seattle in Super Bowl XLIX, his strip stack against Atlanta two years later that sparked the biggest comeback in Super Bowl history, and a two-sack performance that was part of a stifling defense which held the explosive L.A. Rams to just three points in Super Bowl LIII.
I congratulate Dont’a on a tremendous career. We are honored to call Dont’a a Patriot and will always celebrate him as a champion.
A tremendous career, indeed.