In announcing his retirement from the NFL on Tuesday, Dont'a Hightower shared a previously unreported detail that made his final Super Bowl performance all the more impressive.
The former New England Patriots linebacker wrote in his retirement essay for The Players' Tribune that he battled food poisoning during the leadup to Super Bowl LIII.
Hightower wound up playing 86% of New England's defensive snaps against the Los Angeles Rams, notching two sacks, three quarterback hits, two tackles for loss and one pass breakup to help spearhead one of the greatest defensive performances in NFL history. The Rams' second-ranked offense managed just one field goal and never reached the red zone in a 13-3 Patriots victory.
"That third ring? Just as sweet, despite dealing with food poisoning the days leading up to the game," Hightower wrote. "All I can say is, when Sunday rolled around, you already know what it is.... Do your job. Simple as that. We kept our mouths shut that whole week. The only reply was up on that scoreboard. 13–3."
Hightower went a perfect 3-0 in Super Bowls during his nine-year playing career (he missed Super Bowl LII against Philadelphia with an injury), delivering game-changing plays in all three. In Super Bowl XLIX, he tackled Marshawn Lynch just shy of the goal line to set up Malcolm Butler's iconic game-sealing interception. Two years later, his strip-sack on Matt Ryan ignited the Patriots' historic 28-3 comeback against the Atlanta Falcons.
A two-time Pro Bowler and longtime team co-captain, Hightower's performance on the game's biggest stage earned him the nickname "Mr. February."
Hightower's official retirement announcement came after a year away from football. The 33-year-old appeared in 15 games for New England in 2021, then never signed a new contract after hitting free agency last offseason.
His Super Bowl heroics make him a very strong candidate for the Patriots Hall of Fame, but he'll face stiff competition in his first year of eligibility with fellow franchise cornerstones Tom Brady and Devin McCourty also retiring this offseason.
