Tim Hightower facts for kids
Hightower in 2023
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| Position: | Running back | ||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||
| Born: | May 23, 1986 Waldorf, Maryland, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||||||||||||
| Weight: | 220 lb (100 kg) | ||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||
| High school: | Episcopal (Alexandria, Virginia) | ||||||||||||
| College: | Richmond (2004–2007) | ||||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2008 / Round: 5 / Pick: 149 | ||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||||
Timothy Michael Hightower (born May 23, 1986) is an American former professional football player. He was a running back, which is a player who primarily carries the ball. He played college football for the Richmond Spiders. The Arizona Cardinals picked him in the fifth round of the 2008 NFL draft. He also played for the Washington Redskins, Blacktips, New Orleans Saints, and San Francisco 49ers. Since 2020, Hightower has worked for the Washington Commanders as their director of alumni relations.
College Football Career
Tim Hightower started playing for the University of Richmond as a new student in 2004. He played in all 11 games for the Spiders. He carried the ball 58 times for 161 yards and caught 19 passes for 158 yards.
In his second year, Hightower played in 13 games and started nine. He ran the ball 142 times for 777 yards and scored nine touchdowns. He also caught 21 passes for 163 yards. He was the third-highest scorer on his team with 54 points.
As a junior, Hightower started all 11 games. He had his best year yet with 177 carries for 850 rushing yards. He also caught 34 passes for 269 receiving yards and two touchdown catches. He scored seven touchdowns in total and was chosen for the Third-team All-Atlantic 10.
In his final year, Hightower set new school records. He ran for 1,924 yards and scored 20 touchdowns. He carried the ball 327 times, averaging 5.9 yards per carry. His average of 137.43 rushing yards per game was the best in his league and sixth-best in the nation. This earned him a spot on the All-Colonial Athletic Association first-team.
Professional Football Career
Before the NFL Draft
Tim Hightower was not invited to the 2008 NFL Scouting Combine. However, he did very well at Richmond's "pro day," which is a special workout for scouts. People thought he was one of the "small-school sleepers" in the 2008 NFL draft. This means he was a good player from a smaller school who might surprise people. He was seen as a strong pick for the middle rounds of the draft.
| Height | Weight | 40-yard dash | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 0+1⁄4 in (1.84 m) |
217 lb (98 kg) |
4.62 s | 4.46 s | 7.29 s | 31.5 in (0.80 m) |
9 ft 7 in (2.92 m) |
20 reps | |||||
| All values from Richmond Pro Day | ||||||||||||
Arizona Cardinals
First Season (2008)
The Arizona Cardinals picked Hightower in the fifth round of the 2008 NFL draft. He was the 149th player chosen overall. On June 5, 2008, he signed a three-year contract with the Cardinals.
When he started his first season, Hightower was behind veteran running back Edgerrin James. In his first NFL game, he scored a touchdown. He became the only rookie running back for the Cardinals to score a touchdown in his first two games. In a game against the St. Louis Rams on November 2, 2008, Hightower started for the first time. He ran for 109 yards on 22 carries and scored a 30-yard touchdown.
The Cardinals made it to the playoffs with a 9–7 record. Hightower played an important role in their playoff run. He scored a touchdown in the Wild-card game against the Atlanta Falcons. The next week, he ran for 76 yards and caught a touchdown pass against the Carolina Panthers. In the NFC Championship game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Hightower carried the ball 11 times for 33 yards. He also caught an 8-yard touchdown pass that helped the Cardinals win 32–25.
The Cardinals then played the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XLIII. Hightower had a smaller role in this game, and the Cardinals lost. In his rookie season, he set a Cardinals record for total touchdowns by a rookie, with 10 in the regular season and 13 including the playoffs. He finished his first year with 399 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns.
Second Season (2009)
Even though Edgerrin James left, the Cardinals drafted two new running backs. Still, Hightower was named the starting running back for the 2009 season. In the first game, he had his first career game with over 100 receiving yards, catching 12 passes for 121 yards.
On October 18, 2009, he scored a rushing touchdown in a win against the Seattle Seahawks. In a game against the St. Louis Rams, Hightower ran for 110 yards. This was his first game with over 100 rushing yards. He remained the starter, but another rookie, Beanie Wells, started getting more carries.
The Cardinals made the playoffs again. In the Wild Card game against the Green Bay Packers, Hightower scored a touchdown. The next week, he ran for 87 yards and scored a 70-yard touchdown against the New Orleans Saints. He finished the regular season with 598 rushing yards and 8 rushing touchdowns. He also caught 63 passes for 428 receiving yards.
Third Season (2010)
Hightower started the 2010 season as the Cardinals' main running back again. In the first game, he ran for 54 yards and scored a touchdown. The next week, he had 115 rushing yards and an 80-yard rushing touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons.
On December 12, 2010, he had his best rushing game ever, running for 148 yards against the Denver Broncos and scoring two touchdowns. Hightower finished his last season with the Cardinals with his career-highs in carries (153) and rushing yards (736). He also scored 5 rushing touchdowns.
Washington Redskins
2011 Season
On July 31, 2011, Hightower was traded to the Washington Redskins. He signed a one-year contract with them. Hightower was named the Redskins' starting running back for the first game of the season. He carried the ball 25 times for 72 yards and scored a touchdown. The next week, he ran for 96 yards, helping his new team beat his old team, the Arizona Cardinals.
After starting the first five games, Hightower had rushed for 321 yards and scored two touchdowns. However, his season ended early on October 23, 2011. He tore a ligament in his knee (ACL) and was placed on injured reserve.
2012 Season
Hightower signed a new one-year contract with the Redskins in May 2012. He was expected to compete for the starting spot again. However, he was released from the team on August 31, 2012, before the season began. This was because a new rookie, Alfred Morris, showed great potential.
In late 2013, doctors found that Hightower had an infection that made his knee injury heal slowly. He played one game for the Blacktips in a different football league in November 2014.
New Orleans Saints
Return to the NFL (2015)
After four years away from the NFL, Hightower signed a contract with the New Orleans Saints on January 4, 2015. He was released and re-signed a few times that year. He finally joined the team's active roster on November 2.
In Week 10, Hightower played his first regular season game with the Saints against his old team, the Washington Redskins. On December 13, 2015, Hightower started his first NFL game in over four years. He carried the ball a career-high 28 times for 85 yards and scored a touchdown. In another game on December 27, 2015, he ran for 122 yards and scored two touchdowns against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
He finished the season playing in eight games, with three starts. He had 375 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns.
2016 Season
On April 6, 2016, the Saints signed Hightower to another one-year contract. He was the main backup to Mark Ingram II for the 2016 season. On October 30, 2016, Hightower took over as the main running back after Mark Ingram II had some fumbling issues. He ran for 102 yards on 26 carries in a win against the Seattle Seahawks. The next week, he started and ran for 87 yards, scoring his first touchdown of the season against the San Francisco 49ers.
On December 18, 2016, Hightower scored two touchdowns in a win against the Arizona Cardinals, his former team.
San Francisco 49ers
On April 1, 2017, Hightower signed with the San Francisco 49ers. However, he was released by the team on September 1, 2017.
NFL Career Statistics
| Year | Team | Games | Rushing | Receiving | Fumbles | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Fum | Lost | ||
| 2008 | ARI | 16 | 7 | 143 | 399 | 2.8 | 30T | 10 | 34 | 237 | 7.0 | 26 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 2009 | ARI | 16 | 16 | 143 | 598 | 4.2 | 50 | 8 | 63 | 428 | 6.8 | 23 | 0 | 5 | 4 |
| 2010 | ARI | 16 | 13 | 153 | 736 | 4.8 | 80T | 5 | 21 | 136 | 6.5 | 20 | 0 | 5 | 4 |
| 2011 | WAS | 5 | 5 | 84 | 321 | 3.8 | 22 | 1 | 10 | 78 | 7.8 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2015 | NO | 8 | 3 | 96 | 375 | 3.9 | 26 | 4 | 12 | 129 | 10.8 | 27 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2016 | NO | 16 | 1 | 133 | 548 | 4.1 | 30 | 4 | 22 | 200 | 9.1 | 50T | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 77 | 45 | 752 | 2,977 | 4.0 | 80 | 32 | 162 | 1,208 | 7.5 | 50 | 2 | 12 | 8 | |
Personal Life
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In December 2020, Tim Hightower was named the director of alumni relations for the Washington Commanders. This role helps connect former players with the team.
See also
In Spanish: Tim Hightower para niños
