LB Dont’a Hightower is the latest in a long line of New England Patriots to train under the guidance of Alex Guerrero, according to the Herald’s Jeff Howe. Guerrero gained popularity due to his association with QB Tom Brady and for working with the likes of WR Julian Edelman, WR Danny Amendola, WR Wes Welker, and TE Rob Gronkowski.
“Hightower, who is on the physically unable to perform list, has been working with Tom Brady’s trusted trainer [Guerrero] to build strength in his knee before the Patriots unleash him for the season, according to a source,” Howe writes. “Hightower has dealt with a series of knee injuries over the course of his career, including a meniscus issue that he played through in 2016, so he wanted to supplement his workout routine by devoting himself to Guerrero’s training program.”
Hightower is one of the best players on the Patriots roster and the questionable depth at the position elevates his importance. The New England defense is much better when Hightower is available and the 265-pound linebacker’s ability to thump against the run on one play before using his agility and nimbleness to drop back into coverage is unparalleled in the league.
Guerrero draws a lot of scrutiny for his questionable practices. Back in 2004, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) sued Guerrero for peddling a fake cancer cure and the trainer was banned from promoting the product. In 2011, the FTC intervened on another Guerrero product that was advertising itself as a cure for head trauma.
When Guerrero stays away from dubious and blatantly false goods, he offers an interesting strategy for extending the careers of athletes by focusing on flexibility and resistance training (with adjustments made for a player’s needs) instead of just strength building.
We’ll see if the training pays off for Hightower as the linebacker has missed 11 games over the past three seasons, while also playing under limited circumstances in additional weeks.