We take a look back at Dont'a Hightower's 2016 season and offer our predictions for 2017.
2016 Honors & Awards: Pro Bowl (1st), Co-Captain (1st), AFC Defensive Player of the Week (Week 6).
2016 Regular Season Stats: 65 total tackles, 2.5 sacks, one forced fumble and two passes defensed in 13 games played.
In Dont'a Hightower's first season as a defensive co-captain, the fifth-year linebacker led the Patriots defense to lead the league in fewest points allowed during the 2016 season:
- Finished with a team-leading 10 tackles in Week 10 action vs. Seattle to mark the 15th 10-plus tackle game of his career and his second of the 2016 season.
- Sacked Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton in the end zone for an eight-yard sack and a safety in the third quarter of the win vs. Cincinnati to mark his second career NFL points.
- Recorded his second career multi-sack game vs. Cincinnati when he notched 1.5 sacks for 12.5 yards in the Week 6 victory.
Check out the best photos of Patriots linebacker Dont'a Hightower from the 2016 NFL season.
New England Patriots Kyle Van Roy celebrates with Dont'a Hightower after Hightower forced a fumble in action against the Atlanta Falcons during the NFL Super Bowl LI football game on Sunday, Feb. 05, 2017 in Houston. The Patriots defeated the Falcons 34-28 in overtime. (G. Newman Lowrance via AP)
New England Patriots middle linebacker Dont'a Hightower (54) tackles Houston Texans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins (10) after a catch in the first quarter, Saturday, Jan. 14, 2017 in Foxborough, Mass. The New England Patriots won 34-16. (Logan Bowles via AP Images)
New England Patriots middle linebacker Dont'a Hightower (54) in action during an NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, Nov. 13, 2016, in Foxborough, Mass. Seattle won 31-24. (Aaron M. Sprecher via AP)
New England Patriots linebacker Dont'a Hightower (54) sets for play during the NFL football Super Bowl LI game Sunday, Feb. 5, 2017 in Houston. The Patriots defeated the Atlanta Falcons 34 - 28 in overtime. (Al Messerschmidt via AP)
New England Patriots linebacker Dont'a Hightower (54) celebrates after a defensive stop in action against the Atlanta Falcons Sunday February 5, 2017 in Houston, Texas, site of Super Bowl LI. (Damian Strohmeyer via AP)
New England Patriots Dont'a Hightower (54) during a game against the Miami Dolphins, Sunday, Jan. 1, 2017, in Miami Gardens, Fla.
(Tom DiPace via AP)
New England Patriots Dont'a Hightower (54) celebrates after the NFL Super Bowl LI football game against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, Feb. 05, 2017 in Houston. The Patriots defeated the Falcons 34-28 in overtime.
(Tom DiPace via AP)
New England Patriots Dont'a Hightower (54) celebrates after the NFL Super Bowl LI football game against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, Feb. 05, 2017 in Houston. The Patriots defeated the Falcons 34-28 in overtime.
(Tom DiPace via AP)
New England Patriots linebacker Dont'a Hightower during action against the San Francisco 49ers during an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 20, 2016, in Santa Clara, CA. The Pats won 30-17. (Daniel Gluskoter/AP Images for Panini)
FILE - In this Oct. 9, 2016, file photo, New England Patriots middle linebacker Dont'a Hightower hits Cleveland Browns quarterback Cody Kessler in the first half of an NFL football game, in Cleveland. Kessler's pass went out of the end zone for a safety. The pain is only intensifying for the Browns. They had two more quarterbacks injured in Sunday's loss to New England and while there has been some sign of improvement under coach Hue Jackson, Cleveland is 0-5 and headed toward another dismal season. (AP Photo/David Richard, File)
FILE- In this Jan. 14, 2017, file photo, New England Patriots linebacker Dont'a Hightower (54) tackles Houston Texans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins (10) during the first half of an NFL divisional playoff football game in Foxborough, Mass. They'll be on opposite sidelines in Sunday's Super Bowl, but there is a ton of respect between Patriots linebacker Dont'a Hightower and Falcons linebacker Courtney Upshaw. The duo were roommates at Alabama, where they first learned about playing in demanding environments with expectations, and won a pair of national championships in 2009 and 2011. But only one of them can earn his second Super Bowl ring. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola, File)
New England Patriots' Dont'a Hightower celebrates after a tackle against the Atlanta Falcons during the second half of the NFL Super Bowl 51 football game Sunday, Feb. 5, 2017, in Houston. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
New England Patriots' Dont'a Hightower knocks the ball away from Atlanta Falcons' Matt Ryan during the second half of the NFL Super Bowl 51 football game Sunday, Feb. 5, 2017, in Houston. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
New England Patriots' Dont'a Hightower knocks the ball away from Atlanta Falcons' Matt Ryan during the second half of the NFL Super Bowl 51 football game Sunday, Feb. 5, 2017, in Houston. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)
New England Patriots' Dont'a Hightower holds the Vince Lombardi Trophy after the NFL Super Bowl 51 football game against the Atlanta Falcons Sunday, Feb. 5, 2017, in Houston. The Patriots won 34-28. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
New England Patriots Dont'a Hightower #54 in action against the Atlanta Falcons at Super Bowl 51 on Sunday, February 5, 2017 in Houston, TX. (AP Photo/Gregory Payan)
New England Patriots Dont'a Hightower #54 sacks and forces a fumble against the Atlanta Falcons QB Matt Ryan #2 at Super Bowl 51 on Sunday, February 5, 2017 in Houston, TX. (AP Photo/Gregory Payan)
New England Patriots Dont'a Hightower (54) celebrates with his mom after the NFL Super Bowl LI football game against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, Feb. 05, 2017 in Houston. The Patriots defeated the Falcons 34-28 in overtime.
(Tom DiPace via AP)
New England Patriots middle linebacker Dont'a Hightower (54) celebrates after forcing a fumble during an NFL Super Bowl LI football game against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, Feb. 5, 2017 in Houston. New England won Super Bowl LI 34-28 in overtime. (Aaron M. Sprecher via AP)
New England Patriots defensive end Chris Long (95) and linebacker Dont'a Hightower (54) tackle Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan (2), forcing a fumble, in the NFL football Super Bowl LI game Sunday, Feb. 5, 2017 in Houston. The New England Patriots won 34 - 28 in overtime. (Al Messerschmidt via AP)
New England Patriots middle linebacker Dont'a Hightower (54) hits Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan (2) and causes a fumble during an NFL Super Bowl LI football game against the Atlanta Falcons at NRG Stadium, Sunday, Feb. 5, 2017 in Houston. The Patriots defeated the Falcons 34-28 in overtime. (Perry Knotts via AP)
New England Patriots middle linebacker Dont'a Hightower (54) leaps and celebrates with New England Patriots outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy (53) after Hightower sacks Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan (2) for a loss of 11 yards and a fumble recovered by the Patriots at the Falcons 25 yard line as the Patriots begin their comeback win during the Super Bowl LI football game against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, Feb. 5, 2017 in Houston. The Patriots won the game 34-28 in overtime. (Paul Spinelli via AP)
Belichick on Hightower: "[Dont'a Hightower] is really smart, he's very football smart, he has got very good instincts in all phases of the game, in the running game, in the passing game, as a pass rusher. He does all of those things well but he understands them well. He's really smart. He can handle any of that. He can handle any coverage adjustments, he can handle the running game, he can handle pass-rush games, the strategy that we use there as a defensive linemen, so there's really no issues with him at all.
Hightower in 2017: Hightower's versatility separates him from the pack and his ability to provide big plays at the most opportune moments is a huge plus for the defense. After re-signing in the offseason, Hightower will continue to make an impact as a pass rusher and run-stopper in the heart of the Patriots defense.
Dont'a Hightower
