DONT’A NOT HIMSELF YET AND HE KNOWS IT
FOXBORO — Dont’a Hightower dropped into a chair Monday to study film of the first football game he’d played in 20 months.
According to the box score, his return to pro football had been a quiet one. He finished with four tackles against Miami, nothing more. But the film spoke louder. And Hightower wasn’t happy. “I feel I can do a lot better than what I’m doing,” he said Thursday.
The Pats’ defensive captain added he wants to pick up the slack in his game, which can more aptly be described as rust. Hightower opted out of last season, then rejoined the team this spring. Before Sunday, his only exposure to high-level football since January 2020 consisted of four joint practices and three preseason games.
Hightower didn’t look out of place then, defending offenses working out their own issues as they executed vanilla concepts. That changed Sunday when the Dolphins scripted touchdown drives to start the first and second halves, while Hightower produced his lowest single-game Pro Football Focus grade since 2018 and fourth-worst since 2016.
“Win or loss, I always look for room for improvement, and that’s obviously there. I pride myself on being, not the smartest guy, but definitely I want to push up my awareness as far as situational awareness goes,” Hightower said. “But just all around, I just want to play better, obviously. It’s coming along, but obviously I want to play a lot better, be a little bit more impactful.”
The Patriots seemed to expect this. They started two defensive series without Hightower in the opener, instead pairing Kyle Van Noy with Ja’Whaun Bentley at inside linebacker. Hightower was also sidelined for one thirddown snap when the Pats deployed a new pass-rushing package featuring Van Noy, free-agent prize Matt Judon and rookie defensive tackle Christian Barmore, among others. His movements were labored, even for a player whose game has never relied on speed. Then Hightower came up limping on Miami’s last series and sat out the final minute. (He’s fine now.)
Hope for a long-term rebound resides in Tampa Bay. Last year, Rob Gronkowski walked a road to recovery that spanned an entire season before rediscovering his old form and tearing through the playoffs. Hightower, who’s a year younger than Gronkowski, will have the added benefit of playing an extra game during an 18-week regular season.
The first signs of progress should be mental. Hightower’s mind, even after a year away, immediately impressed Judon, whom the Pats coveted in free agency for the same reasons they prize their captain: his smarts and versatility.
“He diagnoses plays instantly,” Judon said last week. “Some people need to take read steps, some people need to see here to here (first). By then, he’s already done it.”
On Thursday, Pats running back James White insisted that sharp and seasoned Hightower is the same one he’s seen in practice.
“It doesn’t look like he missed a year,” White said. “He’s working hard, and he’s a very versatile football player. He can cover, rush, destroy blockers, is good in the run game and pass game. So it’s definitely good to have him back out there.”
Hightower is, indeed, back out there, but the savvy middle linebacker last seen prowling the Gillette Stadium turf, haunting quarterbacks and earning the nickname “Mr. February” from Bill Belichick is still missing. He knows it.
“It’s Week 1, and we’re still growing, so I’m not going to beat myself up about it,” Hightower said. “But obviously, the more guys that play the best they can, that helps out the team. So I want to do a little bit better than (Sunday).”
The moment Hightower announced his return in the spring, it was expected he would restore the Patriots defense to former glory. The best version of the unit revolves around him; a centerpiece of the franchise’s championship past, new front seven and future title aspirations. But after one game, it’s clear Hightower must first work and wait to restore himself.
For captain and team, it’s the only way forward.