Patriots welcome back Dont’a Hightower
The New England Patriots have found their new linebackers coach. Former Patriots linebacker Dont’a Hightower will join the coaching staff, per his agency, SportsTrust Advisors.
Hightower played with New England his whole career from 2012-2021. The 33-year old won three super bowls.
During Super Bowl LI he had his career highlight when he forced a fumble from Matt Ryan of the Atlanta Falcons. The play was the turning point of the game for the Patriots to be able to comeback from the famous 28-3 deficit.
Overall, the two-time pro bowler had 569 total tackles with 27 sacks. Head coach Jerod Mayo and Hightower reunite. They played together from 2012-2015 and Mayo was an assistant for the final two years of Hightower’s career.
Last year, Mayo spoke about Hightower and hinted at this possible reunion as transcribed by Andrew Callahan from the Boston Herald on X (formerly Twitter):
“I think Hightower would be a phenomenal coach. ... When I get a chance to run my own ship, I’ll try to recruit him.
“I got a chance to play beside him, I got a chance to coach him. There aren’t many people like Hightower, in terms of his smarts."
From Albert Breer of MMQB, he posted on the specifics of the role that Hightower is expected to take.
“I'd heard earlier in the week, more specifically, that they were looking at him as inside linebackers coach. So they may still hire an outside linebackers coach.” Breer wrote on X.
The Patriots defensive staff is nearly full with Hightower now in the fold. New England also has Demarcus Covington as the defensive coordinator, Jerry Montgomery as the defensive lineman coach. Mike Pellegrino and Brian Belichick remain to coach the secondary.
