After two seasons away from the New England Patriots, Dont’a Hightower is returning to the NFL team as its linebackers coach.

Hightower played four seasons as Patriots linebackers with New England’s new head coach, Jerod Mayo. Mayo also served as Hightower’s position coach for two seasons.

Hightower’s agents announced his new job on Friday.

After joining the Patriots from Alabama as the 25th selection in the 2012 NFL Draft, Hightower played in nine seasons with New England. He earned Pro Bowl recognition in 2016 and 2019 and played for three Super Bowl winners.

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Hightower made a key stop for the Patriots in their 28-24 victory over the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX on Feb. 1, 2015; a pivotal strip sack in their 34-28 overtime victory against the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI on Feb. 5, 2017; and two sacks, three quarterback hits and a pass breakup in their 13-3 victory over the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LIII on Feb. 3, 2019.

On the Seattle offense’s next-to-last snap of Super Bowl XLIX, Hightower brought down Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch at the New England 1-yard line despite playing with a torn labrum.

In Super Bowl XLIX, Hightower caused Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan to fumble, and the Patriots recovered the loose football at the Atlanta 25-yard line with 8:24 left in the fourth quarter trailing by 16 points.

At Alabama, Hightower earned consensus All-American recognition for the Crimson Tide’s 2011 BCS national-championship team.

Hightower has never previously coached.

DeMarcus Covington is New England’s new defensive coordinator after serving as the Patriots’ defensive-line coach. Covington played at John Carroll Catholic in Birmingham and Samford before beginning his coaching career at UAB in 2012.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.