Dont'a Hightower retires from NFL after decade with Patriots

(2014, 2016, 2018) and a thumbs up from a pair of Pro Bowl se(coach) Bill (Belichlections (2016, 2019). ick). Luckily, I knew FOXBOROUGH, He also was named a a thing or two about Mass. (AP) — Dont'a second-team All-pro in that from my time at Hightower is making 2016. Alabama under Coach a quiet exit to a memoHightower called his (Nick) Saban. rable career with the decision “a happy day.” “For nine seasons, New England Patriots. “People always ask I lived that mentality

The veteran linewhat makes the Pa24/7. Today, I'm totally backer, who did not triots culture so difat peace knowing that play last season, anferent. Easy answer: I gave this franchise nounced his retireit was about profesevery ounce of sweat I ment Tuesday in an sionalism, period. You had left.” essayposted on the knew that you had to Hightower appeared Players' Tribune webshow up every single in 117 games in his site. day — not just physiNFL career, amassing

It ends a decadecally but more so men27 sacks and 353 tackles.longruninneweng-tally,”hewrote."we land that began with had a saying, ‘If you With his wife expectthe Patriots selecting do it right, you do it ing their first child, he him 25th overall in the light.' Being good was opted to sit out the 2012 draft. It included expected. Being great 2020 season because three Super Bowl rings might even get you of concerns about CO

VID-19. He returned in 2021, but his production was down. He played in 15 games, logging 64 tackles and 1 1/2 sacks.

He became a free agent that summer but didn't sign a new contract.

Hightower likely will be most remembered for tackling Seattle running back Marshawn Lynch on the 1-yard line late in the Super Bowl following the 2014 season. The play preceded Russell Wilson's pass that was intercepted by Malcolm Butler in the end zone to clinch the Patriots' 28-24 victory.

“When I saw 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 game,” Hightower recalled in his essay. “I knew he was going to walk through a huge hole if I didn't take a risk. ... I figured we had nothing to lose. So I ripped up under (Russell) Okung and shot my shot. All I saw was Marshawn's two legs churning, and I just prayed to God that I could clip him up or something. I reached out ... and you already know what happened next.”

Two seasons later, he came up big again in the Super Bowl. With the Patriots trailing the Falcons 28-12, his strip-sack of Atlanta's Matt Ryan in the fourth quarter was recovered by Alan Branch. New England used a short field and scored to get within one possession. The Patriots ultimately tied it and capped off a historic comeback win in overtime.

“I'll never get tired of inscribing ‘The Strip Sack' on anything I sign,” Hightower wrote.