Dont'a Hightower has gone toe-to-toe with Tom Brady countless times dating back to 2012.
But when Hightower and Brady cross paths in early October, the setting will be much, much different than their previous encounters.
Brady will play his first game in Foxboro as a visitor in Week 4 when the reigning Super Bowl champion Buccaneers visit Gillette Stadium for a primetime showdown with the Patriots. Hightower, a Pats teammate of Brady's for nine seasons, is excited for the highly anticipated matchup.
"It's going to be good to see 12 again," Hightower told The Boston Globe's Stan Grossfeld. "I've been going against him in practice for so long, I'm looking forward to playing against him."
Hightower and Brady obviously share a special bond, as they both were team leaders on three Super Bowl-winning teams in New England. But Hightower isn't going to take it easy on TB12 due to their relationship.
"Oh, you mean, like, 'soft sacking' him?" Hightower said. "Nah, you can't do none of that stuff with him, man. He's trying to throw touchdowns.
"No, in between the lines, it's football. I'm sure he wouldn't expect anything different."
