donta hightower

New England Patriots Super Bowl Champ Dont’a Hightower Announces Retirement from Football

A New England Patriots star linebacker has decided to call it a career. After 10 seasons in Foxborough, Dont’a Hightower announced his retirement.

Hightower spent his entire career with the Patriots, suiting up for the team from 2012-21. The team selected him in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft with the 25th overall pick. Over the next decade, he helped New England win Super Bowl rings.

“It’s been a hell of a ride & career beyond my wildest dreams,” Hightower wrote on Twitter. “It’s time to hang em up, from the bottom of my heart – thank you to everyone who played a part.

Hightower made his announcement in The Players Tribune. His career comes to an end at the age of 33.

“Today, I am officially retiring from the NFL,” Hightower wrote. “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.”

Hightower played in 117 career games with the Patriots and made 114 starts. He piled up 569 tackles, 27 sacks and five fumble recoveries in 10 seasons.

Along with three Super Bowl rings, Hightower was also a two-time Pro Bowl selection. He earned honors in 2016 and 2019.

Dont’a Hightower Enjoyed 10-Year NFL Run

Dont’a Hightower enjoyed an incredible career in football. The linebacker enjoyed plenty of success at the college level prior to his arrival in the NFL.

Hightower spent four seasons at Alabama (2008-11) where he was a two-time BCS national champion. In 2011, he was a consensus All-American.

The Patriots selected Hightower at No. 25 in the 2012 NFL Draft. He made an immediate impact as a rookie, piling up 60 stops with three passes defended and scoring a touchdown in his first year in New England.

Hightower continued to provide stability for the Patriots on the defensive side for the next nine years. His best seasons came in 2016 and 2019, earning Pro Bowl honors those two years.

He totaled 65 stops, 2.5 sacks and forced a fumble to earn his first selection in 2016. In 2019, he was responsible for 71 tackles, 5.5 sacks and four passes defended to earn his second Pro Bowl nomination.

Hightower was a member of the Patriots teams that won Super Bowl XLIX, LI and LIII.