Dont'a Hightower Madden Career 2013-2022 - Peak 93 OVR
Dont'a Hightower Madden NFL 2022 rating

Dont'a Hightower Madden Career 2013-2022 - Peak 93 OVR

Position
OLB
Team
Patriots
Height
6'3"
Weight
260
College
Alabama
DOB
Mar 12, 1990
Madden
2012-2021
87OVR
2021 Current
93OVR
Peak 2015
10
Seasons Played

The Patriot who made the plays that won February

When New England needed a defensive stop with a title on the line, Dont'a Hightower kept being the one who made it. In Super Bowl XLIX he dragged down Marshawn Lynch at the one-yard line to help preserve a 28-24 win over Seattle. Two years later, with the Patriots trailing Atlanta by 16, his strip-sack of Matt Ryan deep in Falcons territory turned the tide of a 34-28 overtime comeback in Super Bowl LI. Add a third ring from the 13-3 win over the Rams in LIII.

New England drafted the Alabama linebacker 25th overall in 2012, fresh off two national titles in Tuscaloosa. He was a rookie 74 in the 2012 Madden edition and climbed to a career-best 93 in the 2015 game before settling into the high 80s. He made Pro Bowls in 2016 and 2019 and opted out of the 2020 season over COVID concerns. Across nine seasons he logged 27 sacks and 569 tackles, but his ledger is best read in Super Bowl results.

Dont'a Hightower Madden Career Milestones

  • Peak rating: 93 OVR in Madden NFL 2016 (age 25)
  • Appeared in 10 Madden releases (Madden NFL 2013 through Madden NFL 2022)
  • Entered at 74 OVR in Madden NFL 2013, climbed 19 points to his peak
  • Biggest single-year rise: 9 points into Madden NFL 2016
  • Played for the Patriots across every Madden release in his career
  • Listed as a linebacker in every Madden release
  • Final Madden appearance: Madden NFL 2022 at 87 OVR

Dont'a Hightower Madden Career Ratings

Madden Team Pos OVR Speed ACC AGI COD STR JMP STA INJ TGH AWR PRC THP TAS TAM TAD PAC TOR CAR TRK BCV SFA SPM JKM CTH SPC CIT SRR MRR DRR RLS RBK PBK IBL TAK POW PUR MCV ZCV PRS KPW KAC KRN
2013
2012 NFL season
 Patriots RLB 74 80 83 76 - 84 82 93 85 90 59 76 16 5 5 5 5 5 59 65 35 46 20 25 52 20 15 15 15 15 25 45 45 45 88 89 75 42 67 78 12 11 10
2014
2013 NFL season
 Patriots RLB 80 80 - 76 - 84 82 93 85 90 71 74 16 5 5 5 5 5 59 65 35 46 20 25 54 20 15 15 15 15 25 45 45 45 90 90 81 57 74 78 12 11 10
2015
2014 NFL season
 Patriots RLB/MLB 84 80 83 75 - 84 82 93 87 90 78 78 16 5 5 5 5 5 59 65 35 46 20 25 54 20 15 15 15 15 25 45 45 45 93 90 89 60 77 78 12 11 10
2016
2015 NFL season
 Patriots RLB 93 83 88 76 - 84 82 95 90 90 84 87 16 6 6 6 6 6 59 65 35 46 20 25 55 20 15 15 15 15 25 45 45 45 95 90 92 66 86 78 12 11 10
2017
2016 NFL season
 Patriots MLB 90 83 88 76 - 84 82 95 90 90 87 87 16 6 6 6 6 6 59 65 35 46 20 25 55 20 15 15 15 15 25 45 45 45 95 90 89 60 79 78 12 11 10
2018
2017 NFL season
 Patriots LB 89 84 89 76 - 84 82 95 90 90 91 91 16 6 6 6 6 6 59 65 35 46 20 25 55 20 15 15 15 15 25 45 45 89 95 90 87 67 81 65 12 11 10
2019
2018 NFL season
 Patriots LLB 84 83 88 76 - 84 82 95 90 90 88 88 16 6 6 6 6 6 59 65 35 46 20 25 55 20 15 15 - 5 25 45 45 89 94 90 82 52 64 65 12 11 10
2020
2019 NFL season
 Patriots MLB 83 82 87 79 - 84 82 95 90 90 89 87 16 6 6 6 6 6 59 65 35 46 20 25 58 20 15 15 - 5 25 45 45 91 91 90 83 53 62 68 12 11 10
2021
2020 NFL season
Did not play
 Patriots LB 88 81 86 79 70 84 82 91 90 90 95 93 16 6 6 6 6 6 59 65 35 46 20 25 58 20 15 15 - 5 25 45 45 91 92 90 93 60 68 68 12 11 10
2022
2021 NFL season
 Patriots ROLB 87 80 86 78 70 84 81 91 90 90 92 90 16 6 6 6 6 6 59 65 35 46 20 25 58 20 15 15 5 5 25 45 45 91 92 93 93 60 68 68 12 11 10
How to read these: Each row is the player’s rating in that year’s Madden, listed by the NFL season it covers (Madden NFL 2001 = the 2000 season). Madden sets its ratings before the season is played, so they reflect the previous season’s performance - a player’s breakout year tends to show up as a jump in the following year’s game.

Era Linebackers who played alongside Dont'a Hightower

Von Miller Madden ratings
Von Miller
Madden NFL 2012-2026 - Commanders
99
 Bobby Wagner Madden ratings
Bobby Wagner
Madden NFL 2013-2026 - Commanders
99
 Khalil Mack Madden ratings
Khalil Mack
Madden NFL 2019-2026 - Chargers
99
 Luke Kuechly Madden ratings
Luke Kuechly
Madden NFL 2013-2020 - Panthers
99
 DeMarcus Ware Madden ratings
DeMarcus Ware
Madden NFL 2006-2017 - Broncos
99
 Patrick Willis Madden ratings
Patrick Willis
Madden NFL 2008-2015 - 49ers
99
 Ray Lewis Madden ratings
Ray Lewis
Madden NFL 1997-2013 - Ravens
99
 Brian Urlacher Madden ratings
Brian Urlacher
Madden NFL 2001-2013 - Bears
99
NFL career stats: View Dont'a Hightower's NFL stats & grades →

Dont'a Hightower Madden Ratings by Year

Dont'a Hightower Madden NFL 2013 rating: 74 OVR (2012 NFL season, NE). Dont'a Hightower Madden NFL 2014 rating: 80 OVR (2013 NFL season, NE). Dont'a Hightower Madden NFL 2015 rating: 84 OVR (2014 NFL season, NE). Dont'a Hightower Madden NFL 2016 rating: 93 OVR (2015 NFL season, NE). Dont'a Hightower Madden NFL 2017 rating: 90 OVR (2016 NFL season, NE). Dont'a Hightower Madden NFL 2018 rating: 89 OVR (2017 NFL season, NE). Dont'a Hightower Madden NFL 2019 rating: 84 OVR (2018 NFL season, NE). Dont'a Hightower Madden NFL 2020 rating: 83 OVR (2019 NFL season, NE). Dont'a Hightower Madden NFL 2021 rating: 88 OVR (2020 NFL season, NE). Dont'a Hightower Madden NFL 2022 rating: 87 OVR (2021 NFL season, NE).