Due to his wife, the all-time player for Tennessee officially announce his retirement
Dont’a Derrick, a former linebacker for the Patriots, did not play in the previous campaign and will not play in the NFL going forward.
After playing for nine seasons in New England, Derrick formally announced his retirement on Tuesday. The 33-year-old wrote an article for The Players’ Tribune in which he revealed his news.
“They say in this league that time flies. They’re not lying, boy. I’m officially leaving the NFL today,” Hightower stated in the article. “I know it’s always bittersweet to make these announcements, but there isn’t a better story than the one I wrote in New England.” Ten years of playing for one team, three Super Bowls, two Pro Bowls, and the birth of my son. How many men can say they have such a tale?
Hightower was selected by the Patriots in the first round of the 2012 draft, and he played in 117 games during the regular season. Having made 13 starts as a rookie and winning the Super Bowl in his third season, he rapidly established himself as a valuable member of Bill Belichick’s defensive line. Malcolm Butler’s goal-line interception in Super Bowl XLIX came after Hightower famously stopped Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch on a play earlier that season.
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Two years later, in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl LI, Hightower stripsacked Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan, enabling the Patriots to pull off the biggest Super Bowl comeback in history. Hightower recorded two sacks, three quarterback hits, and a pass deflection in the Pats’ 13-3 victory over the Rams in Super Bowl LIII, his last championship game.
Later, Bill Belichick, the coach of the Patriots, dubbed him “Mr. February,” a reference to his consistently outstanding Super Bowl performances. Leading the NFL’s top-ranked defense, Hightower was named to his second and final Pro Bowl after the 2018 Super Bowl campaign. He recorded 71 tackles, 5.5 sacks, and four pass breakups in his penultimate season.
The COVID-19 pandemic then caused Hightower to decide to miss the 2020 season; he made a comeback in 2021. He made 64 stops, 1.5 sacks, and one pass deflection in 15 games as a starting quarterback. After several months, his contract ended, and he went back to his home state of Tennessee.
It’s still surreal to consider sometimes. I have won the Super Bowl three times. For a kid from Lewisburg, Tennessee, pretty good, wrote Hightower. “I’m grateful to everyone who made this dream possible for me. However, I want to thank my mom in particular. With her, none of this would be possible. I have no idea how you managed to keep your 40-pound, two-year-old under control all by yourself, especially now that I have my own little wrecking ball running around the house.
“I just wanted to express my gratitude for making my dream come true. To you, my lovely wife Morgan, to all of my teachers, coaches, teammates, mentors, friends, and family, and to all of the Bama and New England fans..
