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Just As Mom Said, Hightower Is Here

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By NICK WILLIAMS

nwilliams@tampatrib.com

Published: January 30, 2009

TAMPA - As time passed during the 2008 NFL draft, Tim Hightower's heart felt all the more heavy.

He looked into his parents' eyes with sorrow.

"I felt like I let them down," he recalled. "I felt like a failure."

He had made a promise.

"I told my mother in the fourth grade that I would play professional football," he said. "I told her I would make history. I was a young kid, but for some reason I spoke it and I felt it."

And then, with the 149th pick (fifth round), the Cardinals selected Hightower out of the University of Richmond.

"My mother looked at me and said, 'God has a plan for you. There's a reason why you went where you went,'" High- tower said. "As soon as I went to Arizona, she said, 'Super Bowl bound.' It's a true testament that through God, all things are possible."

It was the beginning of his NFL career, but just another milestone in an inspiring football journey.

His senior year at Episcopal High School in Alexandria, Va., Hightower broke his foot after playing in only six games. Colleges that were interested backed off. When Richmond took a chance and offered him a scholarship, he took it.

In his final year at Richmond he rushed for 1,924 yards and 20 touchdowns, helping the Spiders to an 11-3 record and the FCS championship game against Appalachian State. He left Richmond as its career leader in rushing, all-purpose yards and touchdowns, but it wasn't enough to buy him an invite to the NFL scouting combine.

Veteran Edgerrin James was the established running back in Arizona entering the 2008 season, but as Hightower progressed, so did his role on the team. In his first seven games he carried the ball 49 times for 133 yards and six touchdowns. He was named the team's starter in Week 8 against St. Louis and started the following five games, rushing for 226 yards and four touchdowns, during which time he broke Ronald Moore's franchise rookie record of nine rushing TDs in a season.

Hightower's 10 regular-season rushing touchdowns led NFL rookies.

"Tim has done a good job for us," Arizona coach Ken Whisenhunt said. "He has worked hard to, first of all, make the team and have an impact on our team. We started him off as a short-yardage and goal-line back, which is a tough thing to be successful in, and he made a couple of good runs for us early, which led us to expanding his role. He's earned everything that he's gotten this year."

Hightower never thought of himself as an elite player.

"I've tried to be the hardest worker, the most dedicated and the most passionate, but definitely talent-wise, no," he said. "It wasn't until probably late in college that I knew I was the best on the field."

His confidence might have been low, but his spiritual faith was always high. As a youngster, church came first, although football was a close second.

"I think football was a gift given to me by God," he said.

On Sunday, he'll take the field at Raymond James Stadium to compete in the biggest game in all of sports - the Super Bowl.

"That's been the story of my life," Hightower said. "You really can't predict. God has a bigger plan than you know and His plan is always better than your plan."

Reporter Nick Williams can be reached at (813) 259-7851.

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