Dont'a Hightower Out For Season: Reports

FOXBOROUGH, MA — Two-time Super Bowl champion Dont'a Hightower has a torn pectoral muscle and will miss the rest of the season, according to multiple reports coming out Thursday morning.

Hightower was named a defensive captain this season, his sixth with New England since being a first-round draft pick. The Patriots re-signed the oft-injured linebacker to a four-year, $35.5 million deal in the offseason. He played five games this season, not having played more than 13 since 2013. Despite all his injuries, this is the first season-ending one he has suffered.

Hightower made arguably two of the three biggest defensive plays in the last two Super Bowl wins for New England, stopping Seattle's Marshawn Lynch shy of the goal line and strip-sacking Atlanta's Matt Ryan.

The Patriots defense has been a general train wreck this season, and losing arguably their best player on that side of the ball doesn't help.

Linebacker Kyle Van Noy will likely be asked to carry much of the burden with Hightower out, assuming primary 'green dot' responsibilities. The defensive player with the green dot on his helmet can communicate electronically with the coaching staff and relay instructions to the huddle. Van Noy has done that a bit this season.

This is the second season-ending injury to a Patriots star this season. Receiver Julian Edelman suffered a serious knee injury the third preseason game.

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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)